Thicker than Water Part II
by Sara K M
Summary: Sequel to the original Thicker than Water. The Charmings' have found each other (again), after Storybrooke was destroyed. Now they face even more challenges as they adjust to life in the real world.
1. Chapter 1

Thicker than Water Part II: Life in the Real World

**Disclaimers: I don't own **_**Once Upon a Time**_**. Also, this is a sequel to "Thicker than Water", which was written by La Lisboa. **

**So, a few notes before we get started. First of all, as I had just stated in the disclaimer this is a sequel to La Lisboa's "Thicker than Water." It starts a few days after that one finished, and does make several references to the earlier story. Therefore, I recommend that you read or review the original "Thicker than Water" first, or you may feel a little lost. **

**Second, I'm going to try to post this story regularly. (On Sundays, usually, as any of you who may read my last story know; that's when I can use the internet.) But I may have some problems because**

**I live in an area where snowstorms can be an issue.**

**The computer I'm currently using is having some problems, and it may crash while I'm writing this story.**

**If I ever decide not to finish this story, for whatever reason, I **_**will**_** tell you. Otherwise, assume I'm still working on it, even if I don't post for quite a while.**

**Thanks so much to La Lisboa for letting me write a sequel to your story! And for betaing and putting up with my constant emails about different chapters. I really appreciate your input, even if there are a few times I've decided not to use your ideas.**

**Key**

** XXXXXXXXXX means POV change**

** OOOOOOOOO means time change**

** XXXXXXXXX **

** OOOOOOOO means POV and time change**

The Charming family, as well as Granny, Red, and the dwarves remained in the cave for another few days. They ate the local blackberries, but since that was all they had to eat, there wasn't much left of them. If they ventured out any further, they may not be able to find their way back. Mary Margaret – _Snow_! Emma thought to herself. She still had a hard time thinking of Mary Margaret as Snow, but since she didn't remember being Mary Margaret, Emma felt that's what she should call her. Anyway, Snow had been out hunting for rabbits a few times, but didn't have much luck.

"I can't believe I'm having such trouble with this!" Snow exclaimed coming back empty – handed again, her spear in hand. "I used to live on wild game for weeks at a time when I was on the run in the Enchanted Forest!"

"Well," Ruby (Red! She should think of her as Red!) began. "You didn't have to rely _exclusively_ on wild game. I provided you with food, too. I'd like to think that made a difference, Snow."

She patted her best friend on the shoulder. "Of course. I just meant I needed to hunt to get meat in my diet. And now that we don't have anything else to eat, I can't catch anything!"

"Calm down," her friend replied. "I think the stress is just getting to you. You should know better than to try to hunt when you're so tense."

Emma sat quietly on a rock, watching the scene from a distance. She needed to start talking about leaving the woods and finding a town somewhere. Somewhere with a grocery store and a home with four walls. She had been thinking about that for a while now, after all the forest would _never_ be a place where Emma was comfortable. But she had been reluctant to force her family away from the only place they seemed to find comfortable. Besides, leaving here meant Henry would have to leave Regina's burial plot behind. Who knows when they would be able to come back?

Henry seemed to be doing pretty well with Emma and his grandparents together again. He loved hearing the stories about his grandparents adventures, just as he always had. Ruby and the dwarves were also happy to add their parts as well. But Henry also spent a lot of time alone at Regina's grave site. He didn't seem to want company, and none of the others knew what to do about that. Was it better he had time to grieve by himself, or was he shutting everyone out because he didn't want to seem weak? Anyway Emma really didn't want to take her son away from whatever comfort he was able to get from visiting Regina's grave.

But they had to face facts. They were running out of food. And there was no way they could stay in the cave forever, anyway. Henry would have to be enrolled in school in another month. Maybe the sense of normalcy and routine would be good for him.

"I think it's time we think about leaving," Emma stood up and addressed the group. Mary Margaret (Snow! Snow!) and Red were still sitting in the corner, discussing hunting options. The dwarves and Henry were searching for a mine in the area. No matter how many times Emma told them mines didn't exist in Maine, they refused to be dissuaded. Henry probably knew that as well, but Emma knew how much he loved adventures, especially with his family nearby. The opportunity was just too good to pass up for him.

Granny was still trying to help Sneezy and Sleepy, who still didn't know who they were or who anyone else was. They weren't even interested in joining their brothers, as they had no idea _why_ it would be important to find a mine. They eyed everyone else warily, and even only nibbled on the berries they were given, not sure if the food was safe. If they didn't start eating better soon, they'd suffer from malnutrition. David was assisting her with trying to feed them. He had said something about having experience feeding animals who didn't want to eat. He thought some of the methods might work on frightened dwarves as well. Emma had no idea what he meant by that, horses maybe? But whatever.

"For where?" Ruby (Red!) asked. "Where else would we go? This place has room for all of us, and it's less scary than the rest of the world!" Everyone else nodded in agreement.

Emma sighed. She had expected this type of response from them. But they had to understand where she was coming from. "That may be true, but we're still running out of food here." Emma gestured at all the bushes that had been stripped clean of berries.

"But we're working on that!" Mary Margaret and Ruby replied, sounding defensive.

"Yes, and I understand that, but we need food, now!" Emma argued. "Not when you finally calm down enough to get us a rabbit!"

Mary Margaret looked hurt at that comment. Emma was sorry about that, but there were more important things to worry about. Like why they all had to find a town soon. "Even if you do find us a rabbit, how long is it going to last before we run out of rabbits in this area?"

"Well, it should last a little a little while…" Ruby tried again. Mary Margaret stayed silent.

Emma shook her head. "Look, it's not even just about food. I have to get Henry enrolled in school. It will be starting in another month."

"Well, we can teach him here. That's how I got my schooling. He already loves our stories, anyway," Mary Margaret tried, finding her voice again.

Emma sighed. Of course she got schooling that way. She was a royal princess who had private tutoring. But that wasn't going to work here. "Yeah, but he needs more than just stories. He needs real school! With other kids his age! I think it might help him you know…if he could have a normal routine again. Plus, even if he was taught here, we'd need books! And paper! Do we have any of those things here?"

Ruby and Mary Margaret looked at the ground, apparently not having an argument for that.

"Plus," Emma continued, another thought occurring to her. "The game wardens will catch us here eventually. This isn't hunting season yet! And beyond that, we don't own the land we're using. We could get fined for squatting. I don't want to pay a fine. And I certainly don't want another problem with the law!"

Emma said that last comment without thinking. She put her hands over her mouth. She really didn't want her parents to know all of her problems with the police when she was younger.

But David came out from the cave, gingerly putting his hand on her shoulder. "Okay." He told her calmly. "If you're sure we should find a town; then we'll find a town. We'll go together. Right?" He looked over at his wife and Ruby expectantly.

"Right," they both agreed.

"I'll give it a try," Granny called out from inside the cave.

Emma smiled a thank you at David. She was somewhat surprised he was the one who supported her. She knew this version of David was brave and strong and valued his family (unlike the fool he had been under the Curse) but Emma was still used to being closer to Mary Margaret than to David. Still they had an even bigger challenge: convincing the dwarves. How were they supposed to convince men who were still determined to find mines in the woods to come with them to a modern town?

Twenty minutes later the dwarves came back to the cave. "There's still no sign of mines. Maybe that Emma woman is right. Maybe there are no mines. But what do we do without mining?" Grumpy grumbled to the other dwarves. They shrugged.

David stepped forward, squaring his feet. Emma wondered if he had practiced his "princely stance" or if it just came naturally to him. "Well, actually, we were thinking we might find out what's in town."

"Why should we do that, Prince James?" It was going to be difficult getting used to people calling him that. Even more than it was to hear people calling Mary Margaret Snow White. At least Snow was her actual name. Anyway, Grumpy continued, "There's probably even less for us there than there is here! At least this looks like the forest from home."

David smiled sadly. "I know - I know. But Emma's right. There are no mines here. We're running out of food. Henry needs some sort of schooling that we can't provide for him here. And we need to be there for each other. If some of us are leaving, we need to all leave. It's the only way we can get through this."

The other dwarves nodded, understanding. Grumpy looked sideways at Mary Margaret (or Snow! She was Snow!) to see if she agreed. She did, of course. Grumpy finally looked back up at David. "Okay, James. We'll see what's in the next town."

Henry looked Emma and David with sad eyes. "We're going to be leaving? But my mom…" His voice trailed off as he glanced toward her gravesite.

Emma sighed. She knew this was going to be hard to explain. She knelt down in front of him to look in his eyes. "I know Henry. I know it's hard. But we have to move on. You're going to have to go to school soon. And we're running out of food. We'll always still have each other." She looked at this whole group of people she all cared about and she knew they all cared about Henry, too.

Henry looked at the ground. "Yeah, but school won't start for another month. Can't we stay there until then? Grandma said she'd catch us some rabbits! I thought maybe…she'd teach me how to do that, too."

Mary Margaret came over and patted Henry on the shoulder. "I'd love to teach you how to hunt rabbits someday, Henry. But I'm afraid…right now I'm too tense to do a good job with it myself. Your mother's right. We need a better food supply."

Henry nodded, still looking at the ground. David knelt in front of him as well. "Look, I know leaving your mother will be…hard." David obviously still had a hard time seeing Regina in a positive light, but he was really trying, for Henry's sake. "But just because we have to leave the grave site doesn't mean she still won't be with you. I had to bury my mother two, back in our land. But even though I can't visit her, she's still with me. I have my memories of her. You'll have your memories, too."

Henry took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay," he said, trying to sound brave and strong.

"Okay, so we need to see how much money we have available," Emma announced, getting back on track now that everyone had agreed to her plan. The others all looked at her blankly, obviously not understanding what she meant. She went into the cave to retrieve her purse, as well as Mary Margaret's (Snow! Snow! Snow!), which she had made sure to get when she picked up their clothes in the mental institution. Snow held it up gingerly, trying to figure out it's significance.

Emma pulled out her wallet out of her own purse. Then she pulled out some bills, holding it up. "This is money. I have about $40 in cash right now. How about you?"

Snow dug around in the purse and pulled out a broken cell phone. She put it aside and began digging again. This time she pulled out a wallet as well. "I have five pieces of green paper," she commented, uncertainly. "Is that what you meant?"

Emma had to try very hard not to laugh at that. She reminded herself that this really was _Snow White_ who had no experience what so ever with the modern world. In her mind, it was a perfectly legitimate question, and she didn't need Emma laughing at her for it. As calmly as she could, Emma shook her head. "No." She leaned over Snow's shoulder and pointed to the number five in the corner and the word "five" on the back. "See, that? That's why it's called a 'five dollar bill.' It's one bill, but it's worth five dollars. So we count five, ten, fifteen, twenty dollars. And then this one," Emma held out a ten dollar bill, "is worth – "

" – ten dollars," Snow finished nodding. "I get it now," she snapped. "Don't worry about me. I can learn quickly." Emma nodded backing off, trying not to feel hurt. She understood that her mother was feeling overwhelmed and stressed right now, but she had never heard Mary Margaret speak to her that way. Except, of course, the time right before the Curse broke when she had made that stupid decision to run away with Henry. "So I have thirty dollars then," Snow announced to the rest of the group.

Red was rummaging around it the cave at the same time. "I think I had something like that when I first came over. I wasn't sure what it was for, but I kept it, anyway. Ah ha! I think I have…ten, twenty, twenty – five, thirty, thirty –five, forty, forty – five, forty – six, forty – seven, forty – eight, forty – nine, fifty!" Emma nodded. That was a lot of money to have in cash, but of course, Ruby had been a waitress back in Storybrooke. A lot of her pay came from tips the customers left her.

Granny dug through her purse as well. "I have about...$30, I think."

"Well, I know I don't have anything like that, sister," Grumpy told Emma, scowling.

"I don't think I do either, Emma," David added, shaking his head.

At that, Emma couldn't hold it in any longer. The idea of men carrying purses was just too amusing. "Don't worry about….laugh, laugh…it. These bags aren't really made for men. You should have yours in your pockets, if you have anything."

David and all of the dwarves nodded, fumbling in their pockets. "Here's something. I have five, ten,…just fifteen dollars." Emma nodded. David never carried a lot of cash in Storybrooke, she remembered.

"I have about…twenty – five dollars, I think," Happy announced, cheerfully.

"I think I have…ten, no twenty! No fifteen! No sixteen! No, thirteen!" Dopey commented, trying to count his money, and obviously not succeeding. Mary Margaret came up behind him, and helped him count. It amazed Emma how gentle and comfortable she was with the dwarves, when they couldn't seem to talk at all. Emma understood, though; her mother remembered the dwarves from the Enchanted Forest, while she didn't remember Emma. But she was still her _mother_. She wanted them to be able to talk. "He has fourteen dollars," Mary Margaret told the group. She should still work on calling her Snow, even in her head. It might make it easier for them to talk.

"Well, I guess I have twenty – two dollars, so that better be okay!" Grumpy snapped.

"I think I have twenty dollars," said Bashful, very quietly. Emma could barely hear him.

Emma nodded. "Now, does anyone have a card that looks like this as well?" She held up a Master Card.

"I do!" Mary Margaret said excitedly, holding up her Master Card.

"I have one but it looks a little different," Granny commented, showing Emma a VISA card. "Yeah," Emma nodded. "That works, too. You can also have a card that looks like that," Emma added as Granny held up her VISA card.

They all had either VISA cards or Master cards. Unfortunately, Red, Bashful, and Grumpy's credit cards had been damaged in the explosion that destroyed Storybrooke. They were unusable. Emma also had them check for cell phones. She knew all of the cell phones would be damaged in the explosion, but if they had kept the handset, they could get it replaced. Fortunately, they all had them.

"Okay, then," Emma announced. "We should head in, and look for a supermarket and a US Cellular store." They all nodded and gathered their stuff. Henry had disappeared while they were talking about money. Emma was pretty sure he went to Regina's grave one last time. She carefully headed in that direction and saw she was correct. "Henry," she said softly, approaching him from behind. "We have to go now."

"Okay," he replied, sounding as if he had been crying. She gave her son some time to compose himself, knowing how badly he wanted to be strong. After a few minutes, he turned and ran to Emma. "I'm ready, Mom. I'm ready." Henry's eyes were still bright from crying. Emma took a deep breath and reminded herself that leaving was best for him, even though a part of her wanted to tell him they could stay here longer.

They returned to the rest of the group. Surprisingly, Sneezy and Sleepy came with the rest of them right away. Emma was afraid they'd be harder to convince, since they didn't know or trust anyone here. Look how hard it was to convince them to try some of the blackberries. But since they didn't remember their fairy tale personas, Sneezy and Sleepy felt no ties to the forest. And they seemed to trust Granny enough now to want to travel with her, at least.

Everyone headed in the direction of the road. But when they got there…there was a problem. David, Mary Margaret, and Henry all headed in the direction of Ellsworth. "Uh…actually, that's not really the best direction to go in."

"But this is where the hospital was, Mom!" Henry argued, confused.

David and Mary Margaret nodded. "That is where the closest town was, Emma," Mary Margaret said sharply.

Emma sighed. "Yes, but that's also where the mental institution was! The people in charge of that place are still looking for us over there! Do you want to get locked up again, because I don't! We're lucky we weren't caught when we were at the hospital last week. If we go in the opposite direction…, hopefully they won't be looking for us over there."

Mary Margaret looked at the ground, "Okay. You're probably right."

"Of course, Emma," David added cheerfully. "If you think we should go this way," he turned around. "Then that's what we'll do." The rest of the group also turned around and they headed for the nearest town in the other direction.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOOO

It took the group about three hours to finally find a town this time. Emma and Henry appeared to be exhausted; they were obviously not used to walking for such long periods. But they were also trying to be strong, so they didn't complain. Snow tried to convince Emma it might be a good idea to rest for a little while once. "You and Henry are clearly tired, Emma. Don't you think you should rest your feet a while?" she asked, trying to sound causal.

"No, I don't," Emma had replied. "If we're going to do this, we have to make it to a town as quickly as possible. We need a supermarket, a US Cellular store, and some place to sleep before nightfall."

"But Emma…" Snow replied, still worried about her daughter's physical condition.

"Grandma, I'm fine," added Henry in an excited voice. "This is another adventure! I want to see which town we see next!"

"Look, I don't know how long this is going to take of foot; you're right, I usually don't walk these distances" Emma began. But I _do know_ finding everything we need to will be a lot harder in the dark, and more dangerous, especially for Henry."

"Okay, Emma, we'll keep walking," Charming had replied, supporting her as he had done since they started this adventure. Snow knew he was just trying to give their daughter his support, which Emma seemed to appreciate. But it bothered Snow that Emma didn't need her mother to take care of her. As far as she remembered, she had just given birth to her baby two weeks ago. Emma had looked up at Snow, all innocent, knowing her mother would take care of her every need.

Now, suddenly Emma was almost thirty years old, and knew more how to take care of herself in this world than Snow did. To make matters worse, Emma seemed to be taking care of her mother as well. Emma was the one who knew how to break out of that dungeon – like place. Emma knew which way they should go to find a town. Emma knew the dangers in this world better than Snow did. And even in the one place where Snow sort – of at home, in the forest, she had been too tense to provide her daughter with rabbit meat!

Snow was determined to find some way to make a good decision, and show that she could take care of her daughter. The result, however, was that they had argued over every decision since Emma had decided they should leave the forest. Leaving Charming to be the only one to support Emma's decisions. Would she ever get a chance to be a mother to Emma? To take care of her, even a little?

Hopefully that chance would come too, Snow said to herself as they finally emerged from the woods. Nearby was a sign that said, "Welcome to Brewer."

"Well, we finally made it to a town. What do we do now, sister?" grumbled Grumpy.

"Now we find a supermarket and cell phone store, like I said before," Emma replied, sharply. Her tone of voice indicated Grumpy should have listened earlier.

"Well, where would that be?" he snapped back.

"Why don't we try this direction?" Snow suggested, pointing to the direction that seemed to have a lot of stores. That was reasonable, right? Perhaps she could finally make a good decision!

Emma shrugged. "That seems logical, but actually I think we should ask for directions. We could ask the man over there," Emma pointed to a man operating a combination gas station, car wash, and car repair shop.

"Whatever," Snow grumbled, sounding a lot like Grumpy. She looked at the floor. As Emma disappeared into the shop, she felt Charming put his arm around her. He was so sweet. Even though he was trying to support Emma, he still knew Snow was upset and wanted to comfort her.

Emma came back outside a few minutes later. "He said we should go that way," Emma pointed in the direction of all the other stores, "until we get to the Burger King. Then we need to take a left, and that will take us to the supermarket."

"Sounds good, Emma" Charming commented, supporting her as usual.

The others all agreed and began moving.

"At least I had the direction right," Snow muttered. Charming squeezed her hand as they walked. Snow took in the town as they went. There were lots of those horseless carriage that moved extremely fast. They had seen them last week on the way to the hospital. Emma called them cars. Of course, Emma knew all about them. There were also many other buildings with signs like "Motel," "General Motors," and "Kentucky Fried Chicken."

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the store called "Burger King." They turned to the left, but the left was across the road the cars drove on. How would they get across it without getting hit? Those cars moved way too fast. "Maybe we should consider going in a different direction, after all." Snow suggested, trying to sound cheerful. Emma wouldn't have a problem with that suggestion, right? It was obviously unsafe to cross the road.

"Well, if we wait for the light up there to turn red," Emma said pointing up at some metal torches that were lighting up without anyone carrying them. Right now that "light" as Emma called it, was green. Snow hadn't noticed them before, but there were a lot of them on the street. "When it turns red, the cars will stop, and we can go across the street."

Snow sighed, looking at the ground. Emma had an answer for everything. She was still the one taking care of everybody. They all waited until the red light flashed, and just as Emma said they would, the cars on the road stopped. They all crossed the street quickly.

Then the group walked for another five minutes before seeing a building that said "Shop 'N Save." Emma told them that was the supermarket, of course. "There's even a US Cellular store here, too!" Emma added, pointing to the sign right next to the "Shop 'N Save." "Okay, let's get something to eat first. Some sandwiches, maybe, and a drink." They all headed into the store. Emma and Henry chose ham and cheese sandwiches. Snow chose something called turkey, Ruby chose a "chicken salad," Charming chose a turkey as well, and Granny chose an egg salad. Grumpy, Happy, Dopey, and Bashful all chose ham sandwiches. Sleepy and Sneezy agreed to egg salad, but were still unwilling to eat them until after Granny started eating hers. Emma also chose something called a "Coke," for her and Henry to drink. The rest of the group decided to play it safe and drink water.

Emma quickly showed them all how to pay for their sandwiches and drinks. And with the food in her hand, Emma was finally willing to sit down on the bench outside the store and eat. "This tastes sooooo good," Emma exclaimed as she bit into her sandwich. "I can't remember the last time I had real food. Sorry, but a diet of strictly berries just don't cut it for me."

Snow sighed. As if she needed reminding that all they had in the forest was berries. All because she was to tense to get a rabbit or two! "I did the best I could!" she snapped, without thinking. Then she covered her hand with her mouth as Charming shook his head at her. She didn't need him to tell her that her attitude was only pushing their daughter away. She hadn't done anything right since this started. She took a small bite of sandwich, figuring she may as well eat.

Henry took a drink of the Coke. "Thanks for sharing with me, Mom! Regina – my other Mom, never let me have soda!" As soon as he said that, his smile faded. It was as if he had forgotten, for a minute, why Regina wasn't with him to forbid him from drinking whatever "soda" was. He took a bite of sandwich, looking at the ground. Emma patted her son's leg. Emma didn't even seem to need help with Henry. Did she need Snow at all? 

They all finished their sandwiches and drinks about twenty minutes later. "We should go over to the US Cellular store to get our phones replaced," Emma suggested to everyone. They all followed Emma to the store next to the supermarket and all received new "cell phones" as Emma called them. They were pieces of metal with buttons and flat screen on them. The buttons had numbers and letters on them. Then, Emma showed everyone how to use the phones. They were a communication device, it seemed. If someone was in a location where it was too far to talk normally, they could talk to someone who also had one of these devices. Apparently this was the way most people communicated in this world.

Snow could understand the benefits of such a fast communication device, especially since it was supposed to allow you to hear the voice of the person you were talking to. But…she missed her bird friends. Couldn't she teach Emma how to use birds to send messages? Would that be _something _Snow could help Emma learn? "What about using birds? Could we use those, too?" Snow asked, trying not to sound too forceful.

"Well…that's not very practical in this world…And other people would think it was strange. You need to try to blend in a little…That's what caused you problems, before…when we were locked up." Emma tried to explain her reasons as gently as possible.

Snow didn't need reminding of that horrible dungeon place! The only good part about it was it allowed her to meet Emma again. Of course, she had needed Emma to rescue her. But Emma had a good point. She had to be careful about what she said and did in this world, it seemed. She sighed. She couldn't do anything right here.

"Can you teach me how to do that someday, Grandma?" Henry asked excitedly, interrupting her thoughts. "Maybe if we go to a park or something, Mom, it would be okay?"

Emma thought for a second and then smiled at Snow and her son. "Yeah. I think that would be fine. After we get settled with a place to live and everything." Snow beamed at Henry. At least he wanted to learn from her. That was something to look forward to. And Emma said it was a good idea. Perhaps Emma would like some help with Henry, after all. Snow's feet didn't feel quite so heavy anymore, especially with Charming right there, holding her hand again.

"Speaking of a place to live and jobs, why don't we look at some of the ads on the supermarket bulletin?" Emma suggested. Everyone shrugged and went in.

They found ads for local musicians playing at the pubs here. They found ads for people offering to baby – sit. They found ads for lost pets. Then, in the back, Happy found something promising: "Apple Orchard Looking for Workers to Help with Pre – Harvest." "It's not mining," Grumpy moaned. "We're miners!"

"And we didn't find any mines; no matter how hard we looked, did we?" Happy replied, still sounding merry, despite his life's work was gone. "Maybe we should try something new."

"Shouldn't be too hard," Dopey agreed.

"We're all going to have to have jobs if we're going to live in this world," Emma said reasonably. "And I remember in Storybrooke…you guys took to farming pretty well for a time. I bet the pre – harvest for the apples is similar. Look there's a number done here. 945 -7767. It says they even provide transportation! Let's call and see what they're about."

"I'm not so sure…" Grumpy protested.

"Look, all you have to do it use this phone to ask about it. See what it's like. We all need to find our place in this world. Maybe this is yours," Charming suggested, agreeing with Emma again.

Grumpy thought again for a minute. "All right; whatever."

Charming of course, was able to motivate them when no one else could. He was good at that; motivating people to do the right thing. Snow looked up at him and smiled. She loved him for that,

They called the number and found out that the job would include keeping bugs and worms off the apples, keeping the trees watered when it didn't rain, checking the apple trees for disease, and making sure the apple juicers and ladders were ready for harvest. The owners were looking for several workers, as they had lost a group of workers a couple of weeks ago. He was willing to pick up the group and show them the orchard. From there, the owner and the group could decide if it was a job fit for them. They were to wait where they were, at the Shop 'N Save.

A half hour later two large horseless carriages appeared. They all climbed inside them. Emma and Henry discretely showed them all how to use "seat belts." They were belts that came across the shoulder and waist and attached to a button on the other side. Snow squirmed in her seat, uncomfortable with the belt. She was tempted to take it off; how necessary could it really be? But just then the horseless carriage moved, and Snow was reminded how fast these things went. She decided to keep the "seat belt" on as she clutched her husband's hand tightly. Were these things really safe? But Henry didn't seem to be worried.

They drove through two more towns, one with a lot more tall buildings than the other, before arriving at the apple orchard. It was huge with apple trees as far as the eyes could see. It reminded Snow very much of the Enchanted Forest, and from the dwarves' expressions, she could tell they felt the same. Maybe they could make a home here, after all.

"These are the trees," the owner of the orchard explained. His name was Sam Gungeon. "You have to inspect them carefully. Knock on them," he demonstrated. "If they sound solid like that, that's good. If they sound hollow, the tree is dying. You then make a mark on them with the red paint. Then you have to look them all over for growth. If it's moss, it's okay. If it's anything else, you make a mark on them with red paint as well. "You need to check all the apples to see if they have any worms. If they do, then you dispose the apple. Any time there's no rain for more than five days, you take these buckets," He showed them his plastic buckets. "And water the trees."

"I also want people to make sure all my extra ladders are secure." He placed a ladder out for them to see. It was made out of some kind of metal Snow didn't recognize instead of wood. It also stood on its own. "If they don't stay up; they're not safe to stand on. I need to know how many to order before harvest; especially since we have a lot of children visiting during that time."

They all nodded, understanding. "So how long do you want a job?" he asked them. "My last workers only lasted three weeks. The ones before lasted a month. I'm looking for people who are willing to work until the end of the harvest."

Emma stayed quiet. Snow got the impression she wasn't as comfortable in the forest as the rest of them were. Granny admitted perhaps her knees were no longer made for going up and down ladders. But the rest of the group eagerly agreed to that work plan.

"Well, that puts me in a bit of a dilemma, then," the man replied, sighing. "I only have enough money to pay six of you. Which six would like the job most?" If there were only six spots, the obvious answer was to let the dwarves have the job. After all there were six of them now. But none of them, particularly Grumpy, wanted to leave Snow. And Sneezy and Sleepy won't go anywhere without Granny; since she was the only one they trusted, even a little. But Granny had already said she couldn't take the job.

Grumpy was prepared to leave, already walking away. "This isn't going to work!" he grumbled.

But it was Emma that stopped him. "Look, I know being in a strange place and trying new things can be scary. Believe me, I know. But we have to get jobs if we're all going to survive here. I really think you and your brothers would do well here. Like I said, you did some farming in Storybrooke, and you did well with it. I know you're hard workers, and that's what this guy seems to want."

Grumpy looked at Emma with new eyes, seeming to finally take her seriously. Snow knew why that was. No one except for herself had ever really valued the dwarves before. People just expected them to mine the diamonds without questions. Emma told Grumpy she knew he and the others were hard workers. That meant something to him. Snow was torn between pride in her daughter - it seemed she could inspire people just like her father could. But Snow was also sad that Emma was taking care of Snow's family. She should be the one to help her brothers, not her daughter! Her daughter should be a child!

"But what are we going to do about Sneezy and Sleepy, and Granny, sister?" Grumpy argued. "Granny can't work in the orchard, and if she can't…"

"I might have an answer to that." Mr. Gungeon spoke up from the background. "I told you I don't have enough money to hire more than six workers. And that's true. But I do need help in cooking for all my workers. I can pay you a reduced salary, Ma'am," he said to Granny.

Granny nodded. "I think I could handle that."

Mr. Gungeon nodded. "Then it's settled. I'll get some papers for you."

Emma showed them how to fill out the work papers with their names from this world and something called a "social security number," which was also included in their wallets. She was taking care of everything again. Once the papers were done, Mr. Gungeon showed them the housing they had available, three rooms with several bunks. Granny could have one while the dwarves took the other two.

"Look," he said to the rest of the group. "It's late, almost suppertime. I understand you're reluctant to leave your friends. You are welcome to stay here for the night. I have one more room, and the rest of you can bunk with the others."

Granny set to work cooking for everyone. She was a bit unsure of herself, as there seemed to be new machines for cooking in this world. The stove operated on something called "gas" instead of wood or coal. But Granny always knew her way around any kitchen, and was able to follow the recipe for something called a "chicken pot pie." Snow was tempted to help; cooking was one of her favorite hobbies. But since cooking for all the dwarves was supposed to be Granny's job, Snow thought she should let her get used to cooking for a lot of people by herself.

The chicken pot pie was actually very good. Of course almost anything Granny made tasted wonderful, but between the turkey sandwich Snow had had for lunch and the pot pie for dinner, she was beginning to think the food in this world would be pretty darn good. After dinner, Mr. Gungeon recommended they all turn in. Even though it seemed early for them, he told them the men who were working in the orchard would have to get up at sunrise. The others, he admitted didn't have to get up so early to work. However, Mr. Gungeon wished them to leave tomorrow, since they weren't working for him. He would be willing to drive them to the nearest city bus stop, but it would have to be just after sunrise as well.

Emma grumbled at the idea. Apparently Snow's daughter wasn't a morning person. But then Emma's eyes had settled on her son, and she stopped. Emma obviously knew she did it because it was best for Henry.

Grumpy, Dopey, and Bashful took the first room. Happy took the second room along with Red, Emma and Henry. Granny took the third room, with Sleepy and Sneezy with her, of course. Snow hoped her adopted brothers would begin to enjoy life again soon. Although she couldn't imagine how scary it would feel to not know who or your companions were at all.

The rest of the group had very generously allowed Snow and Charming the last room to themselves. Or maybe, it wasn't so generous. Emma had said, "Really, I'd like you guys to have your own room." Then she'd muttered, "I've seen enough already." Snow wondered what was that supposed to mean. Had she and her husband acted inappropriately in this "Storybrooke?"

But even Red said something like, "I'd really rather you guys have your own room, too." Maybe she and Charming needed to work on being discrete? Nah. Never. They never needed to hide their love.

But when they went into the private room, Charming had other things on his mind than romance. He took both of her hands in his, caressing them softly. "What's the matter, Snow? Something's been bothering you all day. You're arguing with Emma about everything and you're as grumpy as…Grumpy."

She sighed. "Charming she was just a baby a couple of weeks ago! That we remember anyway. And now…she's an adult. An adult who doesn't need us to take care of her. She's taking care of herself and everyone else! I wanted…I _want_ to take care of her somehow! There has to be a way. There has to be something she needs my help on!"

"There is," Charming replied patiently, still caressing her hands. "She needs our _support_, Snow. She needs your support. She does know this world better than we do right now, so she needs us to trust us with her decisions. The only thing you're doing right now is pushing her away. That's hurting her, Snow. It's not helping her."

Snow's face crumpled. "I know. I know….It's just…so hard. She was my baby!"

He drew her into an embrace. "I know how hard it is. Believe me, I know. But parenthood was never meant to be easy. And if you support her, she'll come to you someday because she does need your advice."

How did he always know the right thing to say? It was one of the things she loved about him. She looked up into his eyes. "You're right. I'll apologize to her tomorrow. I love you."

"I love you too. Why don't we take advantage of this private room everyone was so eager to give us, huh?"

Snow gave him a long, passionate kiss. "Sounds good to me."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

**Disclaimers: I don't own **_**Once Upon a Time**_**. Also this is a sequel to the original "Thicker than Water" which was written by La Lisboa.**

Emma woke up the next morning feeling better than she had in the last few weeks. She finally slept in a real bed! And indoors! So it really didn't matter that she had to get up at 5:00AM. Even if Happy was merrily whistling along as he got ready. And Henry was trying very hard to drag Emma out of bed,

although she weighed more than he did. She only grumbled twice about getting up at this unholy hour. And she only stayed in bed ten minutes longer than everyone else. Emma was pretty proud of herself, all things considered.

When Emma finally arrived at the breakfast table, there were pancakes (which tasted just as good as Granny's always did, although Granny didn't remember making them before), eggs, and three different cereals. Most importantly, as far as Emma was concerned, there was coffee. Emma grabbed the coffee as if it were a life preserver. As far as she was concerned, it was.

"I figured someone would want some coffee," Mr. Gungeon commented, noticing Emma grabbing the pot.

The rest of the group looked as the pot with confused looks on their faces. Obviously they were wondering what coffee was. Fortunately, at Emma's pointed glare, they refrained from asking. Emma didn't want to think of the questions Mr. Gungeon would ask if no one else here knew what coffee was!

After finishing a cup of coffee, Emma helped herself to one of Granny's pancakes and eggs, along with another cup of coffee. Henry was in the process of eating his second pancake, along with a glass of orange juice. "What are we going to do today, Mom?" Henry asked

Emma shrugged. "Well, we have to see if the rest of us can find jobs and a place to live. Once that's done, you," Emma tousled Henry's hair affectionately, "need to be enrolled in school."

Henry nodded as he took another bite of pancake. "Sounds good," he replied happily after he swallowed. "How 'bout we call this mission 'operation Tarantula'?"

Emma almost spit out her coffee. Tarantula? "Why?" she asked as nonchalantly as she could.

"Because tarantulas have to look for dens, or _homes _in the fall!" Henry smiled proudly at Emma. Seriously, where did he come up with all of this stuff? "Okay, Henry. Sure."

Ruby, Mary Margaret, and David all agreed to the name as well, making Henry beam. After they all finished breakfast, they said goodbye to Granny and the dwarves and headed to Mr. Gungeon's car. On their way, Mary Margaret (wasn't she supposed to be Snow now?) stopped Emma. "Wait, I want to talk to you for a minute." Her voice sounded warmer than it had yesterday. Emma hoped they could get along better today.

"Okay," Emma agreed as Mary Margaret (Snow!) led her away from the group so they could talk privately.

"I just wanted to say…I'm sorry Emma for acting the way I did yesterday. Not trusting you to make good decisions. You _should_ be the one to make decisions here. It's a world you understand and we don't. I do trust you to make good decisions, really. I'm sure if we were in the Enchanted Forest, you would trust us to do the same." Emma's eyes widened as she remembered a time when she and…Snow were in the Enchanted Forest. She hadn't trusted Snow's advice at all, at first.

Emma opened her mouth to say something, but Snow continued,

"It's just…Emma, in _my_ mind you were still a baby two weeks ago. I want to be the one to take care of you…and decide what's best for you. But you're an adult now. You don't really need me anymore. I guess I'll have to get used to that."

Emma sighed. "I am an adult now, and yes, I can make decisions about this world better than the rest of you can. I appreciate you realizing that…But it isn't true that I don't need you anymore. I need you to talk to me. I need you to support me. And need you to help me with Henry. I'm Henry's only parent now. It's a little overwhelming. Besides, Henry will never stop wanting to hear more about the Enchanted Forest."

Snow sighed in relief and happiness. "Thank you, Emma, for telling me that. It means a lot."

"And hey, I understand how overwhelming it can be to be in a strange world. And you want to take control of it by making all the decisions yourself. You said if we were in the Enchanted Forest, I would listen to your advice….The thing is…I didn't. Last year, you and I ended up there by ourselves for a couple of weeks. While we were trying to get home to everyone else…I didn't listen to you at all. But we were able to patch things up and work together eventually. Maybe we can do that here, too?"

Snow leaned over and hugged Emma. She wasn't usually big on physical affection, except for Henry. But with her parents…she was learning. So Emma slowly hugged her back.

They were dropped at a bus stop in front of a gas station. Nearby were a few other stores, including a restaurant, an ice cream shop, and a doctor's office. Emma took a look around. The town obviously wasn't very big, but she supposed it wasn't any smaller than Storybrooke. She could get used to it. "Why don't we fill out some applications around here?" She gestured at the different stores. "Maybe we'll get lucky."

The rest of the group nodded, shrugging their shoulders.

"Why don't you try the restaurant first?" Emma asked Ruby (Red!), remembering all of her experience as a waitress in Storybrooke. She pointed to the building called "The Wonder Restaurant."

Ruby gave Emma a strange look. "Are they looking for werewolves to work for them or something?"

Suddenly Emma felt really stupid. Emma was remembering when Ruby had worked as a waitress in Storybrooke. But _Red_ had no memories of that life. She didn't have any idea how to be a waitress. Still, that didn't mean Red couldn't apply, anyway. They'd teach her how to do everything. "No, there're not really looking for werewolves," Emma replied to Red, finally. "I…just think you might enjoy working there. Just ask for an application."

"Sure. Why not?" Red shrugged and went inside The Wonder Restaurant. The rest of the group also filled out applications for the ice cream shop and the restaurant. Emma also filled out an application for the gas station, although she was hoping to get a job in law enforcement again. But since the rest of her companions had no idea how to drive a car, much less pump gas and change oil, she suggested they not apply to that store. They agreed.

Emma had been planning to visit the school department as well, thinking Mary Margaret might be able to get a position there. But as Red just reminded her, _Snow_ had no memories of teaching in Storybrooke. Mary Margaret may have a degree in education, but she wasn't Mary Margaret anymore. _Snow_ did not know how to teach school. So they really shouldn't bother with the school. Henry would need be enrolled in school soon, but they had to have a permanent residence before they could register him.

But Emma still wanted to visit the local police department. Where was that? As she finished her application for the gas station, she asked about it. The man told her to take the street right on the corner of the gas station and go up about a mile and a half. "Then you'll see a big sign that says, "Hampden Police Department. Can't miss it."

Great, Emma said to herself as she left the gas station. More walking. Too bad she didn't have her yellow bug anymore. "I was going to try to apply to the police station as well," she told _Snow_, David, and _Red._ "But I don't know anymore…it's an awful long walk. I just don't know…"

"But Emma, haven't you been telling us we should apply to as many places as possible?" David asked. "Shouldn't we try it anyway?"

Emma sighed. David was right. "Yeah, I should try it anyway. I'm afraid…they probably won't take any of you. You have to have experience in law enforcement in order to work at police department. They won't take anyone off the street." As her companion's faces fell, Emma realized how that sounded. "anyone off the street." "Not that I meant…you guys can do lots of things! But in _this _world…it's going to be difficult for a while. All of your skills were important in the Enchanted Forest…but not quite as important here. I'm sure you'll find your place eventually. But law enforcement…that's _what I do_. It's my place."

"Then it's definitely a place we should go, Emma" Mary Margaret (Snow! Snow!) said firmly. "If we have to walk a little, so you can see about getting a job that's 'your place,' we should do it."

Emma smiled at her. Her…mother was really trying to support her today. She was doing a great job. "Thanks."

After they spent the last ten minutes walking, Emma paused to look at Henry. She had been so distracted filling out applications and helping the others fill out applications, she didn't really notice…Henry was being unusually quiet. He hadn't said anything about their "adventure" at all. In fact, Emma didn't think he had said anything since he decided this mission would be called "Operation Tarantula." She patted his shoulder as they walked. "Hey, Kid. You okay?"

"Sure," Henry replied. But Emma wasn't convinced. Was he still upset about Regina's death? Probably. What should she do about it? How could she help her son through his grief? "I might be getting a job in the police department again. Maybe you could ride around in my cruiser sometimes like you did in Storybrooke. Won't that be fun?"

"Yeah," Henry replied, trying to sound cheerful but not really succeeding.

"What kind of place do you want to live in? It probably won't be very big, at least not right away, because not all of us are going to get jobs. But do you want a loft like the last apartment was? Or something different?"

"It doesn't matter. Whatever." Henry replied.

"But what about Operation Tarantula?" Emma pressed.

"Oh. Yeah. Of course." Henry tried to sound enthusiastic, but he wasn't really succeeding. Emma knew her son better than that. What should she do?

But just then, a sign that said "Hamden Police Department" appeared before them. They had arrived at their destination.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Emma went into the "Hamden Police Department" to fill out an application. Snow's instinct was to go in with her, especially when it concerned a job that was so obviously important to her. Couldn't she help her daughter that way? But as Emma strolled into the building confidently, Snow realized she didn't need her help here. She sighed, but reminded herself of the lesson she had learned yesterday. Emma didn't need help with everything. If she did need help, and Emma had assured her she _would_ need help with some things, especially Henry, Emma would ask.

"Excuse me?!" They could hear Emma exclaiming from inside the building. "I can handle a gun as well as anyone on the force! Would you like me to demonstrate? I can do that! Where's your target practice? And I'm probably more fit than some of the men you have here who sit at a desk all day! Do you know how many…criminals I've fought?"

Snow smiled despite herself. Emma seemed to be holding her own in there, ready to prove to the man that she was qualified for the job she was applying. Snow glanced up at Charming and he nodded, grinning. They were both proud of Emma for insisting she could do the job she wanted.

After about fifteen minutes, Emma finally came back outside. "Chauvinist!" Emma grumbled as they walked away. "'Don't you know you'd have to carry a weapon, dear?'" Emma imitated the man she had talked to. "'You might be better off with another job….something that doesn't require you to use so much upper – body strength.'" Emma kicked the ground in frustration as they kept walking. "I start to think that kind of thinking is gone…that women are accepted as law enforcement now… and then I meet another one! He finally let met fill out an application, though."

Snow nodded, understanding Emma's problem. How many knights had told her a princess had no business welding a bow and arrow? It looked like Emma was a lot like Snow, breaking the accepted gender roles of their worlds. Fortunately, Charming always supported Snow's desire to fight and defend herself. From the proud look on his face, it looked like he supported Emma's decision as well. Maybe someday, she and Emma could compare stories on how much fun it was to prove those men wrong.

Out loud, Snow said, "I'm glad you were able to apply, anyway."

Emma shrugged.

They all walked back to the gas station. It was supposed to be a bus stop, right? So where was the bus? Finally Emma noticed a sign that said "Bus Stop. Times: 6:30AM, 12:00PM, and 5:00PM. Emma sighed. "Looks like we just missed it when that guy dropped us off. Well, now we have about three hours to wait before the next bus." She shrugged. "Ice cream, anyone? Would you like an ice cream, Henry?"

"Sure. Just get me whatever." Henry didn't sound that excited about something Emma obviously thought would delight him. Emma looked at him again, concerned. Snow sighed. He was probably still upset over Regina's death. He had spent a lot of time at her grave site the last few days. Since Henry was Emma's son and her grandson, sometimes it was easy to forget Regina had been his mother, too. She was happy that Regina had repented before she died. But frankly, Snow would be glad if they could put her out of their minds now that she was out of their lives. Of course, Henry couldn't do that…and probably didn't want to, either. What were they going to do about that?

"I'll have some ice cream," Snow commented, hoping to get Henry interested in it. Red and Charming agreed to try ice cream as well. They all ordered something called "twist", - a mix of chocolate and vanilla ice cream in a cone. The "cone" was sort of like a huge cookie; only it was shaped like a funnel so the ice cream could stay inside it without making that much of a mess. It was wonderful. Unfortunately, they all finished them in about ten minutes. What were they going to do with the rest of their time?

"I'd really like to find a newspaper. They don't have any around here, though. Maybe they'll have them somewhere else. If we had a paper, we'd have something to read while we wait for the bus. Plus, some employers advertise in the paper when they want new workers. We might have better luck finding jobs if we look in the paper first." Emma looked around, trying to figure out where she'd find this "newspaper."

She eventually asked someone and figured out that newspapers were sold in the Shop'N Save, just up the street, about five minutes from here. Relieved they didn't have to walk this far this time, they all headed in that direction. They quickly bought a newspaper called, - "The Bangor Daily News," - and brought it back to the bus stop.

The Bangor Daily News had information about other kingdoms, problems with the kingdom they were in (apparently it was called the United States), and information about the city called Bangor. It also had drawings which tried to encourage the reader to shop at various shops and buy certain items. But it did also have places which were looking for workers. The places included several restaurants, stores, and another hospital in the city called Bangor. Emma suggested they should find these places as soon as the bus showed up.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The bus finally arrived at 12:00PM, just like the sign said it would. All five of them climbed onto the bus. As Snow looked around, she noticed it reminded her more of the carriages she was used to. There were several seats that faced each other, for one thing. The group quickly took advantage of those seats, especially since there were many others riding the bus. Snow and Charming took one set of seats, which were big enough to hold two. Emma, Red, and Henry took the seat across from them. That was one thing Snow definitely wasn't used to sharing a transportation vehicle with strangers. It wasn't that she was worried about the strangers or anything; Snow and Charming could handle anyone attacking their family. After the confrontation with the "Hamden Police" this morning, she was pretty sure Emma could handle it as well. It was just…unsettling to travel with strangers, especially since Emma had mentioned they needed to try to blend in this world. Snow moved closer to Charming and he wrapped his arm around her.

"Try to hold on to the seat or one of the bars," Emma whispered loudly to her companions as she demonstrated, holding on to the metal bar next to her seat. Snow shrugged, confused why they would need to. They never needed to hold on to anything in the carriages. But she remembered how she had decided to trust her daughter's judgment in this world. So she grabbed the back side of the seat. After noticing everyone else had done so, Henry also grabbed the back of his seat. Snow nodded to herself. Maybe this "holding on" was only necessary to make sure Henry did so.

As soon as the bus began to move, though, Snow decided it was _very_ necessary to hold on to her seat! This thing moved a lot faster than a carriage! All the transportation vehicles in this world seemed to move really fast! Were they safe? But Emma didn't seem worried, so Snow tried to remain calm. Charming, of course, noticed she wasn't and squeezed her arm in reassurance.

They were dropped off at a place with a lot of other similar looking buses were. The sign in front of the building said "Bangor Bus Station." Inside were bathroom facilities as well as maps and bus routes of the area. They all used the bathroom facilities. (Snow still couldn't get over how easy it was to use here. On the other hand, she had to share the facilities with strangers! Yuck!) Then they all examined the maps and their newspaper, trying to decide which bus they should board next.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

They spent all afternoon applying at every restaurant, hospital, and store that the newspaper had listed. Some were downtown. Others were near the building Emma called a "mall." Emma also applied to the Bangor Police Department. Fortunately, she encountered no such problems about applying because she was a woman.

There was one more restaurant they decided to try. It was around the corner from one of the hospitals called "Eastern Maine Medical." The restaurant was a small, family type place that was looking for waitresses. It was perfect. All of them asked for applications for the place, which was called "The Hot Spot." The man behind the desk gave them eagerly, stating how much he needed more waitresses.

Unfortunately, Charming stepped out for a few minutes to use the bathroom facilities. As soon as he was gone, the man behind the desk's attitude changed. He began looking all the women up and down, obviously imagining them without clothes on. Snow and Emma both got up to leave disgusted. "What a creep!" Snow muttered as she walked away. The man was lucky she didn't have a bow handy. She had encountered men like that back in the Enchanted Forest, too, when she was on the run. Not all the people she had encountered were werewolves, Charming Princes, or Regina's black knights. Some of them really were outlaws. And when those outlaws saw a woman, alone in the forest…They looked. Some of them even tried more than that. Snow quickly showed them that she didn't carry the bow just for show.

But as Emma and Snow were almost out the door, they turned back to look at Red. "So I can start tonight? Seriously! That's great! I'll be back in a couple of hours!" Red was actually going to work for that piece of scum? Why? And she actually sounded _excited _about it? To make matters worse as she turned to leave, the man reached out and actually grabbed her breast! Surely she wasn't going to work for him anymore! But Red left the building all smiles. "Isn't it great? He already gave me a job! I can start tonight!"

"But Red, didn't you see the way he…" Snow couldn't even finish. "And then he actually grabbed…" She gestured to Red's bosom. "You can't tell me that's okay!"

Red shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal. I mean, Emma says we all need jobs to live in this world, right? So now I have one."

Emma shook her head. "It's true, we all need jobs. But that doesn't mean you have to have a job…with that kind of harassment! Find something else. Please."

But Red shrugged again. "No, it's fine. I don't mind him. Really."

Charming had finally rejoined the group by then. "So what's going on with this place? I thought we were all going to fill out forms, but when I was done…using…you know, you were all gone."

Snow sighed. "Trust me, Charming, you don't want to work there. And you certainly don't want Emma or me to work there, either." She grabbed his hand. In all honesty, Snow knew Charming wouldn't want Red working there as well. Charming had always treated Red like a sister; he wouldn't approve of anyone acting like that toward her. But maybe his reaction wouldn't be quite as severe as if it were her or Emma. Anyway, it seemed no one was going to talk Red out of working for that creep and a half.

But Charming, being Charming, couldn't leave it at that, of course. It wasn't that he didn't trust Snow; he always did. But Charming always had a natural curiosity, especially when it concerned Snow (or Emma). "What do you mean by that? It looks like a restaurant, just like all of the others we've been into. Why is this one so bad?"

"The man in charge was acting…inappropriately." Snow hoped she didn't have to explain just _how_ inappropriately he acted. She shuttered as she remembered how he had grabbed Red's breast.

Charming nodded, understanding now. His face became angry, thinking about a man acting inappropriately toward women he loved and cared about. "Then let's find some other places to try."

Red apparently decided to keep quiet about her decision to work there, anyway.

They waited for another bus and tried some stores and restaurants in the town across the bridge, the one they had entered yesterday. Brewer. Emma also applied to the police department in that town. Finally, they had applied at all of the places that had listening in the paper and some that didn't. They applied at every possible place they could work. "Now we just have to wait for someone to call us back," Emma commented, shrugging. "In the meantime, we're not going to find a place to live tonight. We can get a motel room. At least it'll be indoors."

"Actually, I should head back to The Hot Spot. I start work there tonight," Red said cheerfully.

Charming looked confused. "But I thought you said the man behaved inappropriately?" he said, looking at Snow.

"I did. Red decided to work there anyway." Snow shrugged, still not approving of the other woman's decision.

"Red, I really think you should find a better job. Some place you can be comfortable," Charming tried to reason with her. His face became angry again, thinking about the other man again.

"No. Really I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine with it."

"Well I'm not fine with it!" Charming replied.

"Look. We all need jobs. This man has given me one. Deal with it. All of you. I mean it." Red said firmly. Her eyes showed there would be no room for argument. "Now I'm going to board the bus I need to get to my job. Let me know where we end up spending the night. You can use my…cell phone thing."

Snow shrugged as they watched Red walk off to the bus. "So where are we going stay?" She still wasn't happy with Red's decision, but there wasn't anything they could do about it right now. They bought supper at something called a "McDonalds." Emma and Henry had cheeseburgers, French fries, and cokes. After realizing French Fries were fried vegetables of some sort, Snow and Charming decided to try them as well. They also ordered chicken sandwiches and waters. Neither Snow nor Charming were ready to try the bizarre drinks that Emma and Henry were enjoying.

Or at least Henry was trying to look like he was enjoying the coke. Henry hadn't talked much all day, unless he was spoken to. Even then he only gave short answers, trying to appear more cheerful than he really was. The poor kid was still upset about Regina, obviously. Snow remembered losing _her_ mother when she was about Henry's age. Nothing had seemed alright for a long time, even though she still had her father and Johanna to take care of her. Even Regina, ironically, had been there to take care of Snow for a while. It still didn't change the fact that her mother was dead. So Snow knew a little of what he was going through. Even though he had a family, and even a mother in Emma, he had still lost the mother who raised him. It was just going to take time for Henry to be okay again.

The French fries were surprisingly very good. Snow made a mental note order them again if she got the chance. Or better yet, learn how to make them herself. She couldn't wait to have her own kitchen again. Maybe she'd get lucky and get a job cooking, like Granny had. "How do you make these things?" Snow asked Emma as she munched on one of her French fries.

Emma gave Snow a "you're kidding" look. "_You're_ asking _me_ how to make something? I don't cook! Don't you remember that from – " Emma stopped short, suddenly realizing why Snow was already shaking her head. Snow had no memories of Emma. At least not from the time Emma was referring to. When they lived in Storybrooke together.

"I'm so sorry!" Emma immediately apologized. "I didn't think! Of course you wouldn't remember! I…" Emma tried to think of something to say to make this situation better. Emma had just reminded Snow that not only had she lost twenty – eight years with her daughter, but she also didn't remember the last two years they had spent together. Snow sighed, looking at the floor as she struggled to regain her emotions. Charming gave her hand a squeeze.

Still, it could be worse, Snow thought to herself as she gathered herself. At least _Emma _had those memories to remember. "Emma, it's okay," Snow said as she looked back at her daughter.

"No, it's not!" Emma protested. "I shouldn't have said – "

"It's fine," Snow said firmly, cutting her off. "I'm glad at least you have those memories of us to look back on. I wish I had them, too, but at least one of us remembers."

Emma shrugged. "Okay. Well anyway, I was trying to tell you cooking is not my thing. I can make sandwiches. I can heat up soup from a can. But anything more complicated…nope. Not for me. Although I can tell you French fries come from cut up potatoes. That's about all I know." Emma took a bite of one of the French fries.

Snow smiled. "We'll it's nice I'll be around to help with the cooking, then." At least she'd be able to help her daughter by providing her and Henry with good food. Maybe she could be more of a mother than she had thought.

They finished their dinner and threw out their trash. Then they found a motel with rooms for only $70 a piece, including breakfast. It wasn't a bad price, although they all decided they'd have to share a room with two beds and a couch for Henry. Snow and Charming were disappointed they wouldn't get their own room, but they agreed it made more sense to share. As Emma pointed out, the room may be only $70, but who knew how long they'd have to stay here? Of course, Emma was also slightly uncomfortable with sharing a room. She kept eyeing Snow and Charming warily, as if she wasn't sure what they would do. Snow was going to have to ask her about that after Henry went to sleep. Emma couldn't honestly think she and Charming would do anything with Emma and Henry in the room! They had been fine when they were all in the cave, after all.

They left a key for Red at the front desk, with instructions on who should pick up the key. Then Emma turned on something called a "TV," which was kept in their room. It had pictures and sounds of different people in different places. It was unsettling at first; it reminded Snow so much of Regina's magic mirrors. But Emma assured her there was nothing evil about it; it was just entertainment. The pictures and sounds were put together to form a story of some sort. The story was called a "show." So they all settled in to watch a show called, "_Friends_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOO

Red rode the bus and arrived at "The Hot Spot" just in time for her first shift which began at 5:00PM. She was given a new outfit which she was told to wear every time she worked there. It consisted of a red shirt which covered her breasts and not much else, and a skirt that only came down to her thighs. Snow, Emma, and Prince James would be appalled to see her dressed like this, Red thought to herself. At least it was red; she felt more comfortable in this color.

Mr. Jenison, her new boss admired her outfit in a similar way that he had admired all of the women's bodies this afternoon. "That looks _great_ on you! Tina will be in soon to train you." As she walked away, he gave her a slap on the bottom. Red shook her head as she walked off. The others were right. The man was acting inappropriately. The outfits, the looks, the…grabbing. But somehow it didn't bother her very much. Emma had said they needed jobs and money. Now she had both.

Another waitress came in within a couple of minutes. "Hi I'm Tina," the other waitress said, shaking her hand.

"Hi I'm Re…" Red remembered her name here had to be Ruby, because that was the name Emma had said was on her social security number and photo ID, which she apparently needed in order to have a job. "I'm Ruby."

"So, it's really not that hard. It's just a standard waitress job. You give people menus; ask them what they want, give them their food, blah, blah, blah." Red nodded, trying to pretend she knew what the other woman was talking about. But she was glad Tina had said something. Red actually had no clue what a waitress did, although she was sure she could handle it.

"The biggest problem with this job is the men around here, especially the boss" Tina continued. "Mr. Jenison's hands…wander as I'm sure you've noticed." Red nodded. "Careful about that. I've heard if you let him get away with too much…he starts asking for…favors." Red nodded, not sure what Tina meant, although it didn't sound good. What had she gotten herself into? "But if you tell him off about it, he'll fire you. On the bright side, the tips here are great. I can earn up to $75 a night sometimes! The weekly pay isn't too bad for waitressing, either. Six dollars an hour. I take home about $150 a week."

Well, as long as she could earn money that was what was important, right? Red spent the rest of the night learning how to be a waitress. Emma had been right when she said it was easy. All she had to do was take orders from customers, give the orders to the cooks, and give the food to the customers when the food was ready. Most of the customers were men, so a lot of them…enjoyed looking at her, like Mr. Jenison did. At least they didn't grab her breasts or bottom. But by the time her shift for the night was over she had earned $50 in tips! With the money she still had from the life she didn't remember, she had almost $90 total! It was great.

When she was finished, Red (or Ruby) was instructed to be back the next day, at the same time. Snow called her on the cell phone device and told her they had a room at the Bangor Motor In. Her key was available at the front desk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOO

Henry took a shower, and then Emma instructed him to go to bed. He did so without any complaints. That really worried Emma. It was possible he was simply really tired. But Henry had been having that problem most of the day; he didn't engage with Emma and he didn't get excited about anything. He only spoke when he was spoken to, and when was the last time Henry had gone to bed when he was supposed to, no questions asked? It was like nothing mattered to him anymore, even though she knew Henry was trying to pretend otherwise.

"What do you think I should do about him?" she whispered to David and Mary Margaret (Snow! She was Snow!) after Henry had laid down.

David shrugged. "I think you should just keep doing what you're doing. Keep trying to get him interested in what we're doing and in the world around him. He should be alright eventually."

Emma shook her head. She had never been very comfortable with the passive approach to problem solving. She wanted something would help Henry now.

"Emma, whether we like it or not, Henry just lost someone very important in his life. It's going to take time for him to get over that. I remember when I lost my mother. For a long time, nothing was okay, even though I still had others who cared about me. He just needs time to get over it. It's okay for him to be upset," Mary Margaret…Snow said reasonably, drawing on her own experience. "Sometimes I'm still upset," she admitted. David put his arm around her, and she leaned into his comfort.

Emma understood what she was saying intellectually. It _was_ okay to be upset, especially when someone close is gone from your life. But life had taught Emma if you stop and acknowledge those emotions, you got trampled on. Would that happen to her son? Shouldn't she just help him move on? Out loud, Emma said, "I just wish there was a way I could fix it for him…Take this all away."

Mary Margaret and David nodded. "We always do, Emma. We always do. It's just not always possible." The tone in their voice made it clear they wanted to fix her problems, just like she wanted to fix Henry's. What was she going to do about that?

Get out of this room, that's what. "I'm going to go take a shower." With that, Emma dashed into the bathroom. Letting the water run down her back felt wonderful. How long had it been since she had had a real shower? With soap? This was heaven.

Eventually, though she had to get out. She put her clothes aside. Tomorrow they'd have to look into buying new clothes. How long had she worn that outfit? Over two weeks now? It was getting old. Then she put on one of the bathrobes the motel provided and blow – dried her hair. When she exited the bathroom, she felt calm and refreshed. Ready to face Mary Margaret and David…acting like parents.

When she reappeared, David decided he'd use the shower (alone, thank goodness), if Emma showed him how it worked. She did, and he got the hang of it pretty quickly. After Emma exited again, Mary Margret (Snow! She was supposed to be Snow!) smiled at her, nervously. Nervously? What did she have to be nervous about? This didn't look good. "While he's gone, there's something I wanted to talk to you about." Emma took a deep breath and reminded her that she had been ready for this before. "You…ah... keep making reference to Charming and I having our own room. Have we…ever acted…inappropriately…in front of you? I can't imagine why we would but you keep saying things…and…"

Oh. Oh. Oh. No. No. No. No! Emma thought she was ready for Mary Margaret or Snow, or whatever, to act like a mother to her. But she definitely wasn't ready for this conversation! But…Snow was looking very determined, obviously not ready to back down. And there was nowhere for her to run this time. After all, they had only paid for one room! Why had that seemed like a good idea, again? David had the bathroom occupied, as well. The only thing Emma could do was…answer the question. "You guys never did anything in front of me…or at least…not really. What I was referring to was…well…" Sheesh, she had thought the time she walked in on them was bad enough! Now she had to explain what happened to…her mother? "When we lived in Storybrooke together after the Curse broke…Henry and I had gone to pick up some food at the store…You guys…thought we were going to be gone…longer than we were…so…"

Mary Margaret was already nodding in understanding. "Maybe we'll stick to a bedroom from now on," she muttered.

Emma sighed. "Yeah…well…actually you did…But your bedroom in Storybrooke was designed for a single woman. Before the Curse broke, you know. It had no real doors…That's actually what I meant by you should have your own room. A room with doors! And walls!"

Mary Margaret nodded. "I see. I'll keep that in mind when we look for somewhere to live."

Emma smiled in relief that that awkward conversation was finally over. "I will say, I'm glad Henry hasn't had 'the talk' yet! He had no idea what was going on!" She laughed, and Mary Margaret laughed, too.

Emma glanced at the time. "You should probably call Ruby…I mean, Red, to tell her where we are. Her shift should be over now."

Mary Margaret (Snow! She was supposed to be Snow!) nodded. "Of course. Let me get my phone. How do you use that thing again?" Emma quickly showed her how to find Ruby/Red's number in the phone and how to dial it out. Red was on her way.

David came out of the shower and sat next to Mary Margaret on her bed. Emma took the second one, which she would share with Red. As soon as Red arrived in the room, they all turned out the light.

**Thank you for the reviews I've received so far. I'm glad there are people enjoying this story. And as far as Emma having a life outside of Storybrooke, yes she does have a bank account (as do the rest of the characters, because I'm assuming they had a bank in Storybrooke that could transfer to other banks). There will be more about that in chapter three.**

**As far as her job as a bounty hunter, yes that's true. But I don't think she'd want a job like that now, because it would require her to travel to much, chasing criminals all over the place. It wouldn't be stable for Henry. Still, she might use her back ground as a bounty hunter to get another job. Wait and see.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

**Disclaimers: I don't own **_**Once Upon a Time**_**. Also this story is a sequel to the original "Thicker than Water", which was written by La Lisboa.**

David woke up the next morning with Snow wrapped around him, as usual. He leaned over her beautiful face and gave her a leisurely good morning kiss. "Hi," he smiled at her as she opened her eyes.

"Hi," she replied, smiling at him as she caressed his cheek with her hand. Then she leaned up and gave him another kiss, rubbing his chest as she did so. He hissed, although not for the reason Snow probably thought.

"Don't forget we have company," David warned her as they broke the second kiss. He nodded toward Emma, Red, and Henry.

"Of course," Snow replied, backing away from him. She caressed his chest again, and he tried to bite back the pain. He had received a burn on that area from the fire room. Unfortunately, David should've known he couldn't keep anything from Snow; she knew him too well. "What's the matter?" she asked softly. "Charming, I know that look. It means you're in pain. What is it?"

David sighed. He really didn't want her to see this…but…He sat up and carefully lifted his shirt (he had worn a shirt to bed because of the mixed company) and showed her the burn on his chest. Snow sighed as she looked at it, careful not to touch the blisters, since that made them hurt more. "You're still getting the nightmares, I see." He nodded. She shook her head. "I hate that you have to go through that, too."

David shrugged. The nightmares were a pain (literally), but he could live with them. "I don't mind. I kind of like that I understand a little more about what you went through. And Emma told me I used the sleeping curse to talk to you. Apparently I wasn't able to do it any other way. Anything that helps me talk to you is always worth it."

Snow smiled at him again, full of love. "Okay. I'd still like to help you with the burns, though. When I had them, you made me see Doc. We can't really do that here…" She shook her head sadly. She obviously missed the older dwarf. David missed him too, of course. Doc had been a warm, compassionate healer for Snow and him and all their friends. But for Snow, who considered the dwarf a brother, not just a close friend, it had to be much worse. "Maybe Emma will know how to treat it," Snow continued, trying to move on. "Or at least who to ask. She's not a healer, but she knows more about this world than the rest of us."

"Snow," David touched her chin gently. "It's okay to miss him. Remember what you told Emma about Henry yesterday?"

Snow nodded, understanding. She sighed again. "I do miss him, Charming." She leaned up against his arm, obviously being careful not to lean against his chest. "I miss his warm smile. I miss his wisdom…I miss knowing I had a healer who I could trust."

She stretched her arms and climbed out of the bed, softly since they were the only ones up right now. "I should bathe myself. Can you show me how this 'shower thing' works, or do we have to wait for Emma?"

David thought for a minute, trying to remember how to work the shower. "Yeah, I think I can manage it." They both walked into the washroom. He tried to concentrate on working the controls, not on being alone with his wife. Any minute now Snow was going to remove her clothes and water would slide down her body - He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Now wasn't the time. The others would be up soon. Besides, they wouldn't be able to enjoy anything like that until the burn on his chest healed.

"There. You're all set," he told her as he finally managed to turn on the water. Emma had even showed him how to get hot water out of the hose. He shook his head. This world had certainly made more advancements than theirs. Then he left the room before he faced any more temptations.

When Snow emerged from the washroom, Red was up. "Hi," she commented to them as she stretched and climbed out of the bed she was sleeping in. 

"Hi," Snow replied cheerfully. "How'd you sleep?"

Red shrugged. "Not bad."

"Would you like to bathe yourself? This shower thing is pretty neat. Charming just showed me how to use it. Emma explained it to him last night well you were still…at work." Red sighed and nodded. It was obvious Red's new job was going to be a sore spot between the two of them. Not that David approved of it either. Snow told him how that…thing (he refused to call him a man) acted toward all of them. But Red and Snow had always been very close…best friends, almost like sisters. He hoped Red's decision wouldn't hurt their friendship. But Snow and Red went into the washroom, apparently happy to spend time together for now.

Red came out of the washroom about fifteen minutes later, all dressed again. They still needed Emma before they could start their day, though. She was the only one who knew how to deal with this strange world. Unfortunately, Emma was still sleeping. "She's not going to wake up until someone forces her to do it," Red commented, as they all looked at Emma's still sleeping form. "Yesterday Henry had to drag her out of bed for at least five minutes. You guys remember how she cane to breakfast later than everyone else, right?"

David and Snow nodded. "Still, we got up a lot earlier yesterday. She should be fine today, right?" He leaned over his daughter and shook her gently. "Time to get up, Emma," he whispered in her ear. Emma rolled over and continued sleeping. David tried again, using a little more force. She groaned a little bit, but continued sleeping. He sighed trying to think of a way to wake her up. Having grown up on a farm, David was used waking up when the sun rose. Getting up, therefore, was never difficult for him.

He was at a loss to how to wake someone who didn't get up easily.

"I have an idea," Snow announced. She stood on one side of the bed and motioned for David to stand on the other side. Then she leaned in next to Emma. David, understanding what his wife was trying to do, leaned in next to her on the other side. They both shook her and told her "time to get up."

Emma did wake up that time, screaming, "Go away and leave me alone!"

At Emma's scream, Henry finally woke up, yawning. He climbed out of bed with no trouble, but without the excited expression David had seen on his face yesterday. Emma and Snow were right. Regina's death was getting to the boy. What should they do about it? Keep trying to find things that should excite him, like Emma had tried to do yesterday? That made sense to David. When his mother had died, he tried to concentrate on what was still good in his life. Still, what Snow had tried to explain made sense, too. Sometimes it was okay to be sad.

In the meantime, Emma was finally awake, but she certainly wasn't happy about it. She continued to groan and grumble about getting up and insist she needed to go back to sleep. "Emma we're going to need your help today. We were supposed to find a place to live, remember?" Snow commented, trying to reason with her daughter.

At that, Emma finally climbed out of the bed. She mumbled about needing something called "coffee."

About twenty minutes later, they all arrived in the breakfast room of the temporary sleeping residence. Emma spotted the "coffee" (whatever that was), and grabbed the jug immediately. They all ate a breakfast of biscuits, pastries, juices, and something called "cereal." After that, they returned to the room they had used the night before to discuss where they might live from now on.

"Let's look in the newspaper again," Emma commented, spreading out the copy they had bought the day before. "One bedroom, one bedroom, one room, one room… We need at least a two - bedroom apartment."

"What about this one?" David asked pointing to a notice, much like all of the others, that discussed an available apartment. "It says two bedrooms; washer/dryer hookup, whatever that means; full basement; and, the best part, a full back yard!" David was hoping wherever they lived would have a large yard.

But Emma shook her head. "It's too expensive. $600 a month is more than we can afford right now. Between all of us, we only have $325 in the bank, and we'd need a security deposit. Besides, it's too far away from the supermarket. The bus only goes to one location in Hamden remember. We don't have a car to carry all of our stuff yet. We'd have to take the bus."

David nodded, trying not to pout too much. He'd really hoped they could have a large yard if they had to live in this land. It would make him feel a little more at home. Still, the important thing was that all of his family would be together. He smiled at Emma and Snow and Henry. At least all of his family was in this world. And they would all live together. Red, too. David would be happy to have her with them. Even the dwarves and Granny weren't that far away.

They all kept looking. "Henry, wouldn't you like to help us find an apartment? What about operation tarantula?" Emma asked her son, who was looking at the group from across the room. "I thought you were excited about this?"

"Oh, yeah." Henry was obviously trying to act more cheerful than he was again. He came over to look at the paper, but still didn't say anything. Emma looked at him, concerned again. But she still returned to looking at the newspaper.

"What about this one?" Snow pointed to another notice. "Two bedrooms…only $350 for a security deposit. That's not that bad."

Emma nodded. "Not bad at all. We might be able to give the rest of the security deposit in cash. We'd still need to look at it though. Make sure it's in a good neighborhood and all. How about that, Kid? Are you ready for the next stage in operation tarantula? Are you ready to see the apartment?"

"Sure," Henry replied, once again trying to sound more cheerful than he really was. Emma leaned over and gave her son a hug. At that, he gave her a real smile. Maybe Henry would be okay, after all. Emma called the number on the notice and arranged to meet the owner at the apartment in half an hour. Then they gathered their belongings and left the temporary residence.

They quickly found another bus stop and soon boarded a bus. More strangers were also boarding as well. It was strange to be traveling with people he didn't know, David thought to himself. Still, none of them seemed to be causing problems.

The group got off the bus at the address. It was large brick building that looked very comfortable. David thought he'd be okay with his family living here, even if it didn't have much of a yard.

A woman with short brown hair and glasses greeted them. It seemed women in this world often had shorter hair than they did at home. It was good to know; hopefully Snow wouldn't feel so self – conscious about her now short hair. David knew it bothered her, although she hadn't said anything to him yet. Of course he thought Snow was gorgeous either way, but…

"So," the woman said, "I'm Mrs. Donaldson. You're interested in this apartment?"

"Maybe," Emma replied as she looked around the outside of the building. "We'd like to see it anyway."

The woman nodded cheerfully and led them around to the back of the building. She unlocked the side door and led them inside. It led to a large, rectangular room with white walls. David was a little confused why there was no fire place. How were they supposed to stay warm when it got cold? He was about to ask when he noticed Emma didn't seem concerned about it at all. He remembered how this world had a new way of lighting the buildings. Maybe they had a new way of heating as well.

Meanwhile, Snow was examining the kitchen. As he walked in behind her, he could tell she thought it was rather small. Still, it would probably fit a small table for all of them. It wasn't bad. "You can still cook in here, darling," he whispered to her.

"I know," she whispered back. "I just miss…" They both closed their eyes thinking of the full – sized kitchen she used in the palace. Snow was able to bake three or four things at once with all of the ovens she had available. That is, when the chefs weren't trying to shove her out. They didn't really think the queen should spend her time cooking. Of course Snow showed them how much she disagreed with that by returning to the kitchen again and again. 

"Here you won't have anyone telling you not to cook," he told her, trying to get her to see the bright side, as he always did.

"That's true." She smiled at him.

Red and Emma were looking at the other two rooms. "It looks like the bedrooms are fine. Both are big enough for what we need," Emma commented.

"What's this room?" Red asked noticing a small room next to one of the bedrooms.

"That's the bathroom," Emma replied, looking in as well. "Looks fine. A little small, but okay." David peeked into the washroom. It was a little smaller than he was used to, but not much smaller than the one they had used in the temporary residence.

There was one other problem that David noticed, though. As he sniffed the air he smelled a faint odor of fish. "What about that smell?" he whispered to the others.

Snow, Emma, and Red sniffed the air and made a face. "Yuck!" Red grumbled. "Is that going to be around…all the time?"

"It's definitely offensive," Snow agreed.

"Why does the place smell like fish?" Emma asked Mrs. Donaldson.

The woman took a deep breath. "Well, the people who lived here last owned a fish market. I…can't seem to get the smell to disappear completely. I'm sure you can find a way around that, though."

Emma shrugged. "We can probably buy some air freshener at the store," she commented to David, Snow, and Red.

Red and Snow looked a little uncertain. David had to admit he was a little uncertain himself. It wasn't an extremely offensive odor…but could they really live with it on a regular basis?

"Look," Emma told them. "That smell is probably why the price of this place is so low. We can't afford most of the other two – bedroom apartments around here. And we need to find a place soon, or we'll spend too much money paying for motel rooms. Plus, I need to get Henry enrolled in school. It will be starting soon."

They sighed. Emma did have some good points, and they had agreed they needed to follow her lead in this world. "You really think this 'air freshener' will help with the smell?" Red asked.

"Sure," Emma replied. "So, Henry, do you like the place? The fish smell isn't that bad, is it?" Emma asked, once again trying to get her son interested in what they were doing.

"Sure, it's fine," he replied shrugging. They could all tell he was still faking it.

"So what are the neighbors like?" Emma asked Mrs. Donaldson. "I have a son, as you can see, so I need to make sure there aren't a lot of noises late at night or…anything like that."

"I think the neighbors should be fine," she replied. "They're just two divorced women trying to share expenses." Emma nodded.

Emma looked at everyone else, who was nodding. This place looked pretty nice. "I think we'll take it."

Mrs. Donaldson smiled. "Then let's fill out the paper work." 

She had all of the adults fill out several forms which asked for "photo IDs" and "social security numbers," and phone numbers, much like the forms they filled out to apply for jobs. She also asked for a source of income. Unfortunately, only Red had a source of income right now, since the rest of the group was still waiting to find jobs. Mrs. Donaldson wasn't happy about that, but since Red proved she could pay the rent with her income, the woman agreed to let them live in the apartment. They split the cost of the security deposit between them, as Emma had suggested, and Mrs. Donaldson shook their hands. They now had a permanent residence…Too bad it smelled like fish.

"So what now? You said something about air freshener, Emma?" Red asked.

"We were also wondering how to treat a burn in this world," Snow added. "If we could we'd see Doc but…" her voice trailed off. David squeezed her arm, comforting her.

Emma nodded, understanding. "We should take the next bus to the local Wal – Mart. They'd have air freshener, and first aid supplies, as well as basic supplies for the apartment." Everyone nodded.

"Ru…Red, I hope you don't mind if we use your money. You're the one who has cash right now. We have some credit cards, but I don't know if it's wise to use them if we don't have jobs yet."

Red nodded. "No problem."

XXXXXXXXX

Snow was getting used to traveling with strangers on these buses, as well as the speed they moved. But she still hung on to the railing, just in case. Within about ten minutes, they arrived at a building called a "Wal – Mart." According to Emma, it was kind of like a supermarket, only they sold a lot of other things besides food.

As they went inside, they were met by a nice man who said hello to them. Snow thought that was pretty nice. This world had seemed kind of impersonal so far, but maybe some people were still friendly.

As they turned the corner into the story, however, Snow got the surprise of her life. Right in front of her was a big picture of…her? Across the front, it said, _Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Buy the DVD._ What in the Enchanted Forest was that about? How did the people in this world even know her name? And why did this picture of her look so…fake? "Emma," Snow whispered, "What is this about? How could they have…all this stuff about me when I just got here? She looked around at the other shoppers, who didn't seem to be paying any attention to her. If there were stories about her here, was she famous? Was she going to be stopped everywhere she went, like when she was the queen? She appreciated some friendliness, but she wasn't sure she wanted that kind of attention. "Does anyone else…" she looked around, "know it's me?"

Emma sighed and shook her head. "No, they don't know it's you. You're Mary Margaret in this world; remember that's what your ID says your name is. As far as why the stuff is here…well, there are a lot of stories, movies, and toys about people from your world here."

Well, it was reassuring that people here didn't know she was Snow White. She didn't need all of that attention while she was still trying to get to know her family and understand this strange world. But still…how long would it take before they did realize who she really was? Surely it wouldn't take long if there were a lot of stories and toys about her. Would people be upset at her for giving them a name that wasn't really hers? Should she be introducing herself as Snow right away? "Okay, but if there're stories and things about me here, won't they figure out who I really am soon? Should I bother using a different name?"

But Emma shook her head again, her blond hair flying all over her face. "No, they won't. People here don't see you… or anyone you know from the Enchanted Forest as real people. If you introduce yourself as Snow White, they'll either think you're joking or lock you back up, like you were when I first found you."

Snow gulped, thinking of that terrible place. It wasn't as if they mistreated her there; on the contrary, everyone had been kind. But it had been so lonely without her family and friends nearby. She hadn't even known where they were! Besides that, everyone insisted there was something wrong with her. She was treated like a child not an adult. She never wanted to see that place again. Charming took her hand and squeezed it, obviously noticing she was upset. He was really good at that. He could comfort her way before she indicated she needed it.

Out loud, she commented, "Okay, I'll have to remember my name is Mary Margaret here, then." They walked on toward the rest of the store. Snow glanced at the picture of herself again, dancing. _That's_ how this world believed she looked? What was with that dress? Why was her hair so short? What was with this world's obsession with short hair? She thought as she patted her own too – short hair. If that picture was this world's idea of Snow White, it was no wonder they all believed she wasn't real. Then she shrugged and hurried to catch up with Emma and the others.

"We need to buy some soap," Emma was saying, picking up a brick of something wrapped in paper. "This looks fine." She placed it in the large metal cart that she had obtained when they came in. "And shampoo." She picked up a bottle that looked much like a container of liquor and placed that in the cart. Then she moved down a few aisles.

"Here's some stuff for David's burn," Emma continued, picking up a package of white bandages and a bottle of some clear liquid. Snow was happy Emma remembered that. "I should buy some band – aids in case Henry needs them, too." She picked up a box of brown…somethings. Those were bandages? Snow shook her head. This world was strange.

"What about food?" Red asked. "Can we buy that here, too?

Emma nodded. "Most Wal – Marts these days sell food, too. But first we need some other stuff on this side of the store. Like…underwear and stuff. And some stuff to sleep on."

"Here are some air mattresses." She picked up three small packages. "That should do to sleep on for now." Snow looked at them for a minute. She had decided to trust Emma about her decisions concerning this world. After all Emma was the one who knew the most about this land. But…how was anyone supposed to sleep on this? It was too small even for Henry!

"Emma…don't take this the wrong way…but how are we supposed to sleep on these?" She held one package up in the air, confused.

Emma smiled at Snow, although her face looked kind of funny. "There're called "air mattresses" because you fill them with air. You take them out of the package, unfold them, and blow them up. Then they feel almost like regular mattresses. We can't buy any bed frames yet, but that's the way it is." The tone in Emma's voice was almost challenging. Did Emma think she had a problem sleeping without a real bed?

Please! Snow had no problem sleeping on the ground in a cave; had Emma forgotten that?

"That's fine, Emma. I don't mind sleeping without a bed. And I'm sure the others don't mind, either."

Emma nodded, looking relieved. Then she said to Henry, "We're going to sleep on air mattresses. Doesn't that sound like fun? Kind of like a camp out? Just think of the adventure!"

Henry nodded. "Of course." He was using that fake cheerful voice again; the one that didn't fool anyone. Emma shook her head and squeezed her son's shoulder.

"Do we want to check out some underwear and maybe some cheap clothes now?" Everyone shrugged. "David, would you do me a favor and take Henry with you?" Charming nodded and took Henry to the boy's and men's clothes. Then the three women headed toward the women's section.

Snow and Red looked at the undergarments for several minutes. "Where are the corsets?" Red asked confused, examining a cup – thing that looked sort of like a corset. Actually Snow was wearing one of the cup things now; maybe they were the corsets in this world?

Emma chuckled and shook her head. "In this world, women usually wear pants. Even when women do wear dresses, we don't wear them so tight that we need a corset. We've decided it was better to be comfortable than to look thinner than is physically possible." Emma's tone of voice showed exactly what she thought of corsets. Personally, Snow agreed with Emma. She had always found corsets to be a giant pain in the neck. One of the biggest problems of retaking the kingdom was that she had to wear corsets again.

"I think that sounds great," she told her daughter, picking up one of the cup - things.

Red nodded, understanding what they were saying. "Okay, but then…what's this for?" She held up another one of the cup – things.

Emma smiled. "It's called a 'bra.' It's to support your breasts. Usually women have two or three of them." She picked up two of them, one in white and one in tan.

Red picked up one in pink and two in white. It was weird. Snow had never known Red to be a fan of pink, but she supposed it didn't matter.

Snow picked up one in white and then paused examining a black one and a bright green one with lace. Would Charming like her in one of these? They had a private room again. When his burn healed, they could…Not that she actually needed to wear anything fancy to get him interested, but it might be fun to try something different. She looked at both of them again, and put down the black one. It reminded her too much of Regina. Of course, Regina had redeemed herself in the end, but she still wasn't someone Snow wanted think about when she was in bed with Charming.

Then Emma also picked up a package of waist – level undergarments. Snow and Red shrugged and picked some of those up as well.

Then Emma noticed a rack that said "clearance" with a collection of shirts on it. "We can pick out a shirt, too. These are only $5 a piece." Emma picked up a blue shirt with no sleeves and held it against her chest. "What do you think?"

Snow shrugged. Her instinct was to say a shirt with no sleeves was not appropriate, but she reminded herself the rules concerning clothes seemed different here. "It looks nice, Emma." Emma nodded and put it in the cart.

Red picked out a bright red shirt (surprise, surprise) with black stripes. Its sleeves cut at the upper arm. Snow settled on a light blue one with sleeves cut at the upper arm as well.

Charming and Henry returned as well. Charming had bought him some waist – level undergarments. He also bought him new pair of pants that cut at the knee and a plain brown shirt. "Did you pick out the clothes, or did Henry pick them out?" Emma asked Charming quietly. She obviously wanted to know how involved Henry had been when he was with Charming.

Charming shrugged. "He had to show me where the undergarments were, because I didn't know what to look for. In my world, men didn't wear that stuff. But other than that…not much."

Emma nodded. "That's what I thought. I suppose we'll have to just keep trying."

The rest of them all nodded. "Don't forget what I told you, too Emma," Snow added. "Sometimes it's okay for him to be upset."

Emma nodded, but she was afraid it didn't really register for her. Why was it so hard for her to accept that Henry just needed time to be upset?

They picked up some milk, a ham with rice that Snow could make for dinner, a box of corn flakes, and the most important item, as far as Emma was concerned, coffee.

"Oh!" Red exclaimed as they got in line to pay for the items. "Didn't you say something about some stuff that would get rid of the fish smell?

Emma's eyes widened. "Air freshener! Of course!" With that, Emma dashed back to the store to pick it up.

XXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOO

After they all returned to their new apartment with their purchases (including cinnamon - smelling – air freshener) Emma realized she should look into enrolling Henry in school. They had a place to live now, after all. She was hoping to do this as soon as possible, even though public school wouldn't start for about another month. Emma wanted to know her son was all set to begin school, she was still pretty sure the routine and the other kids would be good for him. Besides, as soon as she knew which school this neighborhood attended, maybe Henry could get involved with some local activities for kids, even before school began. Emma was desperate to do something to make her son feel better.

So Emma picked up a phone book she had found somewhere and called the local superintendent (whom Emma figured would still be in office even though the schools were closed). "Hello," she said as soon as someone answered the phone. "My name is Emma Swan. I've just moved to this area, and I need to enroll my son in school."

"Okay," the woman on the other line answered brightly. "How old is your son?"

"Twelve," Emma replied, glancing at Henry. He was staring out the window, obviously still upset. How could she help him be…Henry again? She remembered what Ma – Snow had told her before. Maybe Henry just needed time to be upset and deal with Regina's death. But Emma still wanted to _do_ something for him. And Emma still wasn't comfortable with him being upset. From her experience, it allowed people to take advantage of you. Emma would _never_ let anyone take advantage of Henry. Hopefully getting him started with school would help.

"That would mean he would attend one of the middle schools." The woman on the other end of the line continued, snapping Emma back to the phone conversation. "Where do you live?"

"15 Madison Drive," Emma replied, reading the address on the top of their lease that was still lying on the kitchen counter.

The woman on the other end of line paused for a minute. "Okay, then he would attend Marshall Middle School. Come down to the office and fill out some paper work when you get a chance, okay?"

"I'm free right now," Emma said nonchalantly.

"That fine, then. I'll need a proof of residence, a photo ID, and your child's birth certificate." Then the woman hung up.

Emma stared at the phone in disbelief. She had to stop herself from shaking. A birth certificate. She had no birth certificate for Henry. What was worse was even if she were able find Henry's birth certificate (there was probably something in the State of Maine Records even though Storybrooke had been destroyed), it would say Regina was Henry's mother, not Emma. This was not going to go well. Why had she said she could fill out the paper work right now? She could have given herself time to come up with a plan! Anything! She hunched over, trying to think of something in three minutes.

"Emma?" Snow called from the next room. "Is something the matter? You look a little…upset."

"No, I'm fine," Emma replied making a snap decision. Her family couldn't help her with this. "I'm going to go over to the school department to fill out some paper work for Henry. You guys stay here. And keep an eye on Henry for me, please," she added in a low voice. She glanced at Henry, who was still staring out the window.

"Sure" David replied. "Hey, Henry! How about we tell you some more stories about the Enchanted Forest?"

"Sure," Henry replied in the same fake – cheerful voice they were all familiar with now. At least he turned around to face his grandparents and Red. Emma left the apartment and headed for the bus stop. Hopefully the birth certificate wouldn't cause too many problems.

Emma quickly checked another map so she'd know where the superintendent's office was and boarded the bus. Could she do this? She had to. At least she still had a photo ID and a copy of their lease.

The bus arrived at her destination way too quickly. She should run, she told herself. She should really run. Except Emma didn't do that anymore. Running away wasn't being a good mother at all. She had to do this. Maybe they wouldn't care about the birth certificate.

"Hello," she said when she walked into the office. "I'm Emma Swan." Her voice sounded a lot more comfortable than she was.

"Of course," said the woman behind the desk. She had shoulder – length mouse - eye brown hair. "We just talked on the phone. I'm Ms. Simpson. I have the forms for you right here." She pushed the papers and pen toward Emma. "Can I see your photo ID?"

Emma nodded, relieved that they started with something easy. She pulled her driver's license out of her wallet. The woman nodded and wrote something down. "How about your proof or residence?" Emma handed her the lease. The woman smiled and wrote something down again. "And the birth certificate?"

Emma gulped. As confidently as she could she replied, "I'm afraid I can't find Henry's birth certificate right now. Would it be okay if I brought it in next week?"

Mrs. Simpson smiled warmly. It was going to be fine! "We aren't supposed to do this, but I know what's it's like to lose things. I know someone who is in charge of documents for the state of Maine. Your son was born in Maine, right? When was your son's birthday?" She reached for the phone.

"June 25th" Emma replied, trying not to sound too nervous. Then she began staring at the floor. This was it. It was all coming to an end. They'd find Henry's birth certificate; even though he wasn't born in Maine, his last legal residence was in Maine. It would show Regina was his legal mother. Maybe they wouldn't find anything, Emma thought hopefully. Maybe Regina didn't have any records stored in the State of Maine. Maybe it would be okay.

The woman talked on the phone for at least ten or fifteen minutes. Emma didn't really hear what she was saying, beyond "uh – huh" and "really." Of course, she wasn't really trying to listen, either. She knew it probably wasn't good news for her. "Well," Mrs. Simpson said when she finally hung up. "My friend didn't find a Henry Swan born on June 25. He did, however, find a Henry _Mills_ who was born twelve years ago on June 25. The thing is, this Henry was adopted. Could that be your son?" The woman's voice showed barely concealed anger.

"Yes…but you have to understand…his adopted mother is dead! Regina wanted me to take care of him when she died!" Emma pleaded for the woman to understand. Surely they wouldn't take Henry away from her! Not after all the time she had spent in Storybrooke reconnecting with Henry and getting to know him. Not after all the trouble they had gone through after Storybrooke had been destroyed, trying to be reunited with their family!

Mrs. Simpson shook her head. "I don't know anything about that. The only thing I do know is that you are currently taking care of a child that you don't have custody of. I'm going to call social services to talk to you. You can explain your circumstances to the social worker. Wait here." The woman's voice was no longer warm. In fact, everything about her, including her face, her voice, and her mannerisms, was cold. Emma would get no support from this woman. And she couldn't even run, because Mrs. Simpson had told her to wait.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Emma waited for at least a couple of hours, although it felt like days to her. Finally, a woman walked in the door, holding a few files. She wore glasses and had blond hair, although Emma thought it looked a little too bright to be natural. "Are you Emma Swan?"

Emma stood up, trying to appear confident. They had to allow her to keep Henry. "Yes."

"I'm Miss Jordan. I'm a social worker. Let's talk privately." She led Emma outside the building, where there were some benches for students to use during the school year. "First of all, I understand that Henry Mills is your biological son, but you gave him up for adoption twelve years ago?"

Emma nodded. "Yes but you see –" she began. She had to explain. Henry belonged with_ her_!

"I also checked out the state records, and you're right. Regina Mills died a week and a half ago, of trauma from injuries, I understand?"

Emma nodded, eagerly. This was going better than she had thought it would. Maybe it would be okay. "Yes. Henry and I were there when she died. Henry's been…pretty upset over losing his adoptive mother. I'm trying to be there for him."

Miss Jordan nodded again, looking one of her files. "She also has no will concerning what to do with her son. We like to try to keep children in families, but it doesn't seem Miss Mills had much of a family."

No, Regina had lost most of her family, one way or another. All she had left was Henry. "Henry was all she had left," Emma commented sadly. She and Regina had their problems in the past, and Emma knew a lot of Regina's family had been pushed away by Regina herself. But still…Emma felt sorry for her. After all, Emma knew what it was like to have no one. That was exactly why she was so determined to make sure it never happened to Henry. "Regina said she wanted me to take care of Henry if she didn't make it."

The woman nodded. "And since you are his birth mother that would make you his family….But with all due respect, we have no record of that. The adoption was closed. You forfeited all rights and contact with your son when you made that decision."

Emma was becoming angry. How many times did that decision have to be thrown back in her face? "Yes, but Henry found me anyway! He wanted me in his life, so I moved! For him! I lived the town he and Regina lived in! We spent time together!"

The woman sighed. "I might be able to award you temporary custody, for now. There really doesn't seem to be many other options for Henry. What's your income?"

Emma opened her mouth to state the income she had when she was the sheriff of Storybrooke. Then she remembered that - she didn't have that job anymore. Storybrooke didn't exist. That's why they were in this mess in the first place. "Well…we've been relocating. I'm kind… of between jobs right now. But I've applied to a lot of places. I should hear from somewhere soon."

The woman looked at her sternly through her glasses. "I see. How do you expect to care for your son if you have no money to do so?"

"I have a roommate who already has a job," Emma replied firmly, looking straight at the other woman. "And like I said, I should get a job myself soon."

"A roommate?" Miss Jordan asked interested. "Can I see your lease, please?"

Emma handed her the lease. Would she be okay with Henry staying with their family? She had to be!

The woman looked at the paper and shook her head. "This is a two bed room apartment for four people. Tell me something, does Henry have his own room?"

"No, not really, we can't afford a larger apartment right now. What does that have to do with anything?"

The woman shook her head again, sadly. "Children aren't allowed to share a room with adults. I'm afraid, under these circumstances I can't give you even temporary custody of Henry. I'll have to look into a foster home for him."

At the phrase, "foster home" Emma jumped off the bench, horrified. "No! No! You can't do that! I grew up in foster care, and I don't want that for my son! I never wanted that for him! You have to understand, of the reason why I gave him up for adoption in the first place was to make sure he never spent any time in foster homes. I…wasn't able to take care of him right away, so I decided out right adoption would be better than a few months in a foster home. Please, you can't do this to him. Regina asked me to take care of him if she died."

But the woman still shook her head. "Look I'm sorry this has happened, but part of my job is to make sure people follow the rules. Furthermore, Miss Mills may have said she wanted you to take care of Henry, but she didn't put anything in writing. All I have is your word which…under these circumstances; it isn't enough."

"No! I don't accept this!

Miss Jordan stood up as well. "Look Miss Swan, I wish there was something else I could do; I really do. But if you don't want to follow the rules, the state will never allow you custody of Henry. We don't want children growing up in homes where the adults take the law in their own hands. If you are willing to _calm down_ and _listen_, I'll explain to you how you can get custody of Henry eventually."

Emma sighed and gestured for the woman to continue. "I'm going to find Henry a foster home, which he will be brought to by tomorrow. Then I'm going to get you a court date with a judge about your custody. I'll mail you a letter when I get the date. In the meantime, I want you to do the following. First," she said, holding up one finger. "Take a blood test, and I'll have Henry do the same as soon as possible. This will prove you're his birth mother. Second," she continued, holding up another one. "Make sure you can find a job that will provide you with a good income to support your son. "Third, find a three bedroom apartment, or have your 'roommates' find someplace else to live. I'll call you tomorrow when I'm ready to take Henry to his foster home. I'll also be willing to let you have supervised visits with Henry, probably once a week, while you wait for your court date. I really do think he's better off with family. I'll inform you more about this tomorrow."

Emma nodded, although she was pretty close to attacking her right now. That woman! As she walked off to her car Emma headed for the bus stop. She had already decided she wouldn't give Henry to this woman and her…foster home! She'd take Henry back to the cave they were staying at before. Henry would probably like that better, anyway. He'd be closer to Regina's grave, and they could have more adventures. Emma didn't know much about surviving in the forest, but Mary – Snow did. She'd calm down soon and catch all kinds of rabbits and other critters for them to eat. Snow, Red, and David would probably like that better. They only came into town because Emma had insisted.

**So how many readers realized that the custody of Henry would be a problem outside of Storybrooke? I'm interested to hear your responses! (And your reactions to the rest of the story, of course.)**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

**Disclaimers: I don't own **_**Once Upon a Time**_**. Also this is a sequel to "Thicker than Water", which was written by La Lisboa. **

As soon as they got back to the new apartment, Snow gathered the things they had bought to treat her husband's burn. Then she ushered him into the bathroom, despite his protests. "Snow, it's fine. I don't think you really need to - ugh!" Charming grunted as she took off his shirt.

Snow rolled her eyes. He may be the best man in any world, but when it came to injuries he was such a…man! He couldn't show how much they really bothered him. ** "**Charming didn't we talk about this already? We talked to Emma about how to treat the burn, and she helped us buy some things for it. I want to help you."

Charming sighed. "I know. I just…don't want you to worry about it. Why can't it wait until later?"

Snow chuckled. "Hypocrite," she teased him. "How long did you wait for me to see Doc when I had my burns?"

He paused, and Snow was sure he was remembering how he would rush her to Doc the second he saw them. "Okay. Fine," he finally agreed.

Snow picked up the bottle of clear liquid and poured some of it on his chest. "Ahhh," he started to scream, and then bit his lip, obviously trying to stifle the noise. "That stings!" his whispered to her, his face showing clear pain. "I think I'd rather leave it alone.!"

"But then it could become worse," Snow argued, wrapping his chest in bandages. "I need to know you'll be okay."

He nodded, and adjusted his expression as they walked out of the bathroom together. At least he let her see his pain more than anyone else. It made her feel special.

Emma meanwhile was talking on the phone in the kitchen. When, she hung up, however, she appeared upset. Even though she was in another room, Snow could tell there was something wrong with her daughter. Her posture was all stiff. And she hadn't moved in three minutes. "Emma?" she called. "Is something the matter? You look a little…upset."

Emma came into the living room with a determined look on her face. "No, I'm fine. I'm going to go over to the school department to fill out some paper work for Henry. You guys stay here." She lowered her voice. "And keep an eye on Henry for me please?" She glanced at Henry, who had been staring at the window since they returned from the shopping establishment.

"Sure," Charming replied. "Hey, Henry! How about we tell you some more stories about the Enchanted Forest?"

"Sure," Henry said in the fake – cheerful voice they were all used to by now. At least he turned around to face them. As Emma left the apartment Snow shook her head. She _knew _there was something bothering Emma. Why wouldn't she let Snow help? Snow had, admittedly gone overboard the other day, trying to help Emma when she didn't need it. But now…there was something troubling Emma. Would Emma ever accept help with problems?

At least Emma let them help her with Henry. She turned to Henry. "Which story do you want to hear?"

Henry shrugged.

Snow, Red, and Charming tried to think of a good one. The problem was, a lot of their stories from the Enchanted Forest involved problems with Regina. Defeating her in battle, Snow and Charming's wedding, even Charming waking Snow from the sleeping curse all portrayed Regina negatively. Would Henry really want to hear that, especially since he was so affected by Regina's death?

Then Charming's eyes lit up. "What about when we found out you were pregnant with Emma?"

Snow nodded eagerly, and Red nodded as well. That was perfect. It was a very happy occasion for all of them, and Regina wasn't involved at all. Maybe it would really cheer up Henry.

"So…it was about a month after our wedding," Snow began. "We had decided to spend the day riding. But I kept falling asleep on the horse!" She laughed at the memory. "Of course your grandfather decided that meant I had some horrible disease and started panicking. It always amazed me he was okay with me in battle, but he was scared to death because I was a little tired after a horseback ride!"

Charming smiled at Snow and at Henry. "That's because your grandma could always hold her own in battle. And usually I was around to help her. But how could she hold her own against a disease? How could I defeat that? And as for 'a little tired,' she was falling asleep on the horse! Do you know how hard it is to fall asleep on a horse? The only reason I could think of for that happening was she was very sick!"

Henry nodded. At least he seemed to be listening to the story.

Red continued, "And then he came in, complaining to Granny and me about how sick she was, and she needed to see Doc." A shadow passed all of their faces as they thought of their friend and adopted brother that had passed away. But then Red brightened as she went back to the story. "Granny burst out laughing, telling him he had nothing to worry about, and Doc would give him good news very soon."

"And so I went to see Doc," Snow continued, picking up the story. "I explained that I was tired all the time lately, and he did a brief examination. And he looked at me, all smiles, and said, 'You'll have a new prince or princess soon!' I gave him a big hug. Then I couldn't get to your grandfather fast enough."

"And when I saw her again, and she almost knocked me over, she crashed into me so hard!" Charming laughed. "Here I was, dreading the minute she got done seeing Doc, ready to tell her we'd face whatever illness she had together, and she comes in with the biggest smile I've ever seen, and almost knocking me over. Despite what Granny had already told me, I really didn't know what to make of it."

"And when I finally told him I was pregnant with your mother, he's the one who fainted! Luckily, he just fell on the bed…but still." Snow laughed, smiling at the memory.

"And when they finally announced it to the rest of us, we all had a big celebration at the palace," Red finished the story.

Henry nodded again. Snow was hoping for a little more enthusiasm, but at least he seemed interested. What else? "What about the time we wanted to go hunting with the men, and they told us it wasn't for 'proper ladies at the palace'?" Red asked Snow.

Snow nodded. "That's a great one! Your mother would love this story, too Henry. I'll tell it to her later. So all the knights were planning a hunting trip. Red and I hadn't been hunting in ages, and we thought it would be fun but the knights didn't really think so…."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After a couple of hours and several stories to Henry, Emma burst back into the apartment. "We're going to have to leave right away!" she announced as soon as she opened the door. "We'll go back to the woods again. Maybe we can find the same cave as before. Or another spot like it."

Everyone looked at Emma and then at the others, bewildered. Emma had been the one who insisted they needed to leave the woods and now she said they had to go back? "But, Emma, honey didn't you say we had to leave the woods? You said we couldn't find enough food there. You said Henry needed to be enrolled in school…Weren't you supposed to be doing that this afternoon?" Snow asked, confused.

Emma nodded, "Yes, but there are more important things to worry about. I'll explain later; we have to make it back before it gets dark!"

Charming shook his head, looking out the window as he did so. "Emma, it's summer time. We have at least three hours before it gets dark. It didn't take us that long to walk to town before. We have plenty of time for you to explain why you suddenly find it so necessary to return to the woods. I'm sure we'll support your decision…but we'd really like to know why."

Emma sighed. "Yeah." She grinded her teeth. Snow had to resist the urge to tell her not to do that. She reminded herself that Emma was an adult and was something was obviously bothering her. Listening to Emma was a lot more important than being all "motherly" and telling her not grind her teeth! "I called the school department to enroll Henry…and the lady on the phone told me I could come right over and fill out the paper work for him. I did that, and I showed her my photo ID and our lease…but then she asked for his birth certificate." Emma looked at the floor. "I didn't have one for him because I had given him up for an adoption when he was born."

Snow nodded for Emma to continue, although she wondered what a birth certificate was and why it was so important. This world seemed obsessed with paper work. Emma continued, "To make matters worse, she was able to find Henry's birth certificate by calling some who works at the State of Maine Records. It said Regina was Henry's mother. Because I had asked for a closed adoption, my name wasn't on the birth certificate at all." Emma was still looking at the floor as she told them this, and her voice was full of regret. "So she didn't allow me to enroll him at all."

"But Regina's dead!" Snow replied, confused. She glanced at Henry, not sure how much he wanted to be reminded of that. But Henry was still staring at Emma, along with the rest of them. "I mean, I know Regina was his mother…before. But obviously you're the only mother he has, right? So what difference does it make what this…birth certificate says?"

Emma grunted. "A lot, unfortunately. The lady at the school called…someone else." The way Emma said 'someone else' was the way Regina had once said Snow's name. "This…person said that even though Regina is dead, I can't take care of Henry because I don't currently have a job, and we apparently have too many people living in this small apartment. She's coming tomorrow morning to put him in a…foster home!" Emma said that word with such malice…such anger, Snow barely recognized her daughter. Just what was this foster home? "We have to leave tonight before she can take Henry from me!"

Snow was still confused. Why was this birth certificate so important? What difference did it make how many people were living with them? Yes, so it might be a little cramped, but they were all happy together. And there were less people living with them now than there had been when they were living in the cave! And Emma should find a job soon, right? But Snow still knew one thing. Running wasn't the answer. Emma was going to have to face these people that were trying to take her son away from her.

She sighed. "I wish we could go back to the cave. In many ways, I was more home there than I am here."

Emma began nodding eagerly, before Snow could finish her thought about why they _couldn't_ return. "That's what I thought. If we go back there, everyone will be better off. You'll all feel more at home. Henry will probably be happier in the woods where he can have more adventures, and be closer to Regina's grave."

But Snow sighed and shook her head, even before Emma finished talking. "You were right before, Emma. We couldn't stay there, and we can't go back. We were running out of food, remember?"

Emma shrugged, unaffected by that argument. "We can find more. Maybe they'll be some more berries in another area. And I'm sure your hunting skills will come back to you soon." Emma's eyes shown with confidence in her mother, and a big part of Snow's heart soared at seeing Emma finally depending on _her._

But Snow still knew, as much as she wanted to, they couldn't go back there. She shook head slowly. "I'm glad you think I can, Emma, but we still can't go back. Didn't you say something about people catching us? Do you really want to live as an outlaw? I can tell you from personal experience, it's not much fun."

Emma looked at Snow sternly. "No, of course I don't. But sometimes people don't have a choice. You didn't have a choice when you were running from Regina. And if they're going to try to take Henry from me, then we don't have a choice either. I _will not_ let Henry be sent to a foster home! Emma turned away from Snow. "I thought you said you were going to support my decisions from now on!" she snapped. "I wanted all of us to go together, but I'll go by myself if I have to! I'm sure I can figure out 'wilderness survival' on my own eventually. I've done everything else on my own already!" She disappeared into the bedroom she was using and began packing Henry's new clothes.

At that last comment Snow flinched like Emma had slapped her across the face. Emma had _done _everything on her own already. All because of a decision Snow had made that forced her daughter to grow up alone. Emma was only trying to prevent Henry from suffering the same fate. For a minute, she was tempted to agree with Emma. But then she remembered the reason why she disagreed with Emma to begin with. A person couldn't run away from their problems. Besides, Emma was still conveniently ignoring the practical details why her plan wouldn't work. Snow glanced at Charming and he smiled and nodded at Snow in support. Henry looked conflicted, like he wasn't sure what to think.

Snow took a deep breath and marched after Emma to the bedroom. "I'm sure you could figure out how to survive in the woods on your own. You've become…very good at doing things on your own. And I'm proud of you for it." Emma nodded, to show she was listening, but still kept her back turned. Now came the hard part. "But Emma…as far as running from Regina…in some ways, you're right. I didn't have a choice. I mean obviously; I didn't want to be killed. But in other ways…I ran away from my problems, Emma. _I _was supposed to be the queen of my people; they expected me to take care of them. But for so long after I was exiled…I didn't want to confront Regina. The peasants constantly asked me when I was going to overthrow Regina and take back the throne. But I just didn't want to bother, and I didn't have enough confidence in myself."

Snow paused, to make sure Emma was still listening. It was hard, considering Emma was still turned around. "Emma?" she asked.

"Yeah," Emma grunted. She still didn't sound happy, but at least she was listening.

"I didn't finally change my mind until after I met your father. He gave me confidence to face Regina and fight for my kingdom. And I realized if he and I were going to have a family…I couldn't run anymore. It would be a lot easier for Regina's knights to catch two or three people than one thing. And if the knights got to Charming or my child...I'd never be able to handle that. And a _good_ mother doesn't run from her problems."

Emma grunted, acknowledging that she was still listening. "Can you imagine what would happen if the guards…or whatever they use in this world, found Henry? Can you really take that chance? Or are you ready to be the kind of mother he can be proud of…and stand up for Henry?"

Emma finally turned around and faced her mother. "I understand what you're saying. There was a time, right before the Curse broke when I thought I'd have to leave town. That running…was the only way out. Henry was _really_ angry at me for that. And if the game warden's found Henry with me…living illegally… that could be a problem. But I already _have_ a problem! They want to put Henry in foster care! I'd kill myself before I'd ever let that happen to him!"

Snow's mouth dropped open at that comment. Emma actually mentioned taking her own life? Under the stress she was under, Snow wasn't sure she was serious. But still the very idea of Emma saying that…How much had Snow sacrificed to make sure Emma didn't die? "Emma you can't…talk like that. Please. _Don't even think it_." Snow looked Emma straight into her eyes to let her know how serious she was about this.

Emma sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I understand. I wouldn't want my son ever thinking about killing himself, either. But still…what do I do about Henry?" Emma said that last sentence a little louder.

Charming, who was still in the other room, heard the question. "I've been thinking about that. I agree with Snow; running isn't the answer. We have to face this problem head –on. Whoever thinks they can take Henry away from us isn't going to get away with it! We'll handle it just like we handled George and Regina, and . We'll overthrow the king that supports this idea and put this child – stealer in jail!" Charming's voice was excited, like it usually was when he had chosen a "cause" he believed in. Especially when that cause involved his own family. Back in the Enchanted Forest, it had been Snow's idea to "take back the kingdom." But Charming was on board immediately, becoming more excited about the campaign than Snow herself had been. Snow smiled lovingly at him as she and Emma returned to the other room where everyone else was. She loved it when he became passionate about a cause, especially one that involved their family.

"Sounds good to me," Snow replied, eagerly agreeing with her husband. "Too bad I don't have a bow anymore. Can you make me another one?" she asked Red.

Red nodded. "Of course." She was on board immediately.

But Emma was shaking her head sadly. "It won't work. Look…maybe running away wasn't the answer, but trying to overthrow the government is a really, really bad idea!"

Charming smiled confidently at Emma. "I know it can seem overwhelming at first, but we can do it! We've done it before and we can do it again. I'm sure there are others who will agree taking a child away from his home is wrong."

Emma shook her head again, her blond hair flying all over her face. "Look, I know that worked for you in Fairy Tale Land, but it won't work here. In the first place…we don't have kings and queens. We have elected officials. If someone wants to change the government, they vote someone out of power. Or they run for office themselves. If we try to overthrow the government, we won't be considered heroes. We'll be considered criminals. And then they'll _never_ let any of us see Henry again."

Charming's face fell. Snow could tell he had really thought he had the right solution. Really, she thought so too. But for Charming…who was so used to being able to find solutions to problems and find the bright side of a bad situation, it had to be even worse. She stroked his arm, hoping to make him feel a little better.

And what kind of world was this? No kings or queens? Rulers are voted in and out of power? It sounded very unstable. It made Snow a little nervous, although she didn't say anything.

"So what if we do this - running for office - to keep Henry or return him to us? Would that work?"

"Not in the near future", Emma grumbled. "Election season isn't until November. Right now it's only August. You'd never get elected when no one knows you, anyway. You just got here. In a couple of years…you could try that if you wanted. I will agree the foster system needs a lot of reworking. That's one of the reasons I'm in law enforcement now. I take care of the criminals and villains, of course. But when I see a kid just trying to get by, I try to get him a lighter sentence."

"So you use the rules of this world to fight with the system in this world?" Charming asked, beginning to catch on.

Emma nodded. "Sort of."

"So how can we use that to keep Henry? Or at least, rescue Henry?" Charming prompted. That was her Charming, Snow thought to herself. He wouldn't let a setback affect him for long. If one thing didn't work, then something else would. He always knew they'd win in the end.

Emma shrugged. "The…woman said if Henry and I took a blood test to prove I was his mother, found a steady job, and we all got a bigger apartment, she'd... return Henry to me…within a month or two."

Charming nodded. "Then that's what we need to do. You'll find a job soon, Emma I know you will. You applied to even more places than we did! Any establishment or…whatever would be happy to have you. And then we'll look for a bigger place of residence. And then Henry will come home. You can show - that woman that she can't keep Henry away from you! That's how you fight, Emma." Snow smiled at her husband and nodded, showing him how much she appreciated his ideas and the way he explained them. Would Emma listen?

But Emma shook her head. "Yeah, but Henry would still have to go to the foster home for a month or two. Those places..." Emma shook her head in horror. "Seriously, I'd give anything, _anything_ to prevent Henry from going to a foster home. I just…can't do that. I can't give him to - that woman tomorrow to be taken to one." She looked at the floor.

"Emma, what's so horrible about these foster homes?" Snow asked, trying to understand.

"Everything!" Emma growled. "Most of the foster parents only care about the money they're being sent to take care of the kids. They ignore you, or make you feel like an outsider. Some of them are even abusive, especially if they have a problem with alcohol. And if they have other foster kids…they can be just as bad if not worse….I can't put Henry through what I went through as a kid."

What _Emma _went through? Emma had been in these "foster homes" herself! Snow was horrified and from the look on Charming's face, he seemed just as horrified. Could they really ask Emma to put her son through something she knew first - hand was horrible? Even if it was only temporary?

But Henry, who had been sitting on the floor, listening quietly (after all, it was about him), finally spoke up. "I think I should go to the foster home, Mom. I'll only be for a little while. I'm strong enough to handle it. Just like you were." Emma eyes darted back and forth between Snow and Charming and Henry. When she looked at Henry, she looked happy that he had finally spoke without first being spoken to. Better than that, Henry's voice sounded determined, not like the fake – cheerful voice they were so used to hearing. But when Emma looked at Snow and Charming, her face showed horror, that she might have to send Henry to the foster home after all.

Just then, Red broke the tension. "It's almost five o'clock. I should catch that bus contraption so I can go to my job. Let me know what happens with Henry tonight. I hope you'll work it out. I hope I don't meet any strange people on the bus tonight. Last night I sat next to a woman who talked on and on about this new show called a "movie." I really had no idea what she was talking about." Red shuddered she left the apartment.

The rest of the group looked at each other and chuckled. Given the…situation at her workplace, they were all surprised Red was most worried about a woman talking to her too much while she was on the bus. It didn't make sense. But it felt good to laugh.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Henry continued to insist he needed to go to the foster home for the rest of the night. He understood why his mom didn't want him going to one; he knew she had really bad experiences with foster homes. And it wasn't like it was something Henry was looking forward to. He wanted to stay with his family. After losing his other mom, Henry was really grateful to be reunited with the rest of his family and friends. But Henry wasn't going to run away, either. That's not what heroes did. And as much as overthrowing the government so he could stay with his family sounded like a big adventure, Henry knew that wouldn't work, either. Like Grandpa had said, there was only one thing they could do. They had to fight the system by using this world's rules. And that meant Henry needed to go to the foster home now, and trust he'd be reunited with his family soon.

Besides that, in some ways he was glad to be doing something on his own. Ever since they had left his other mom's grave site, Henry had a hard time getting excited about anything. What was the point of going on adventures and having operations if his mom had to die? Why should he bother? He knew Emma was really worried about him, so Henry tried to sound happier than he was. Henry didn't want to worry mom or his grandparents; they had enough to worry about getting used to this new life. But still…how could he get excited about anything when the mother who raised him was dead?

But now with this foster home thing…Henry had a chance to prove how brave and strong he was. Like his grandparents who fought for what they believed in. Like his mom, who had to learn how to survive all by herself. Henry felt like he had a purpose for the first time in days. Surviving the foster home could be his own personal mission. And a tiny part of him was happy he wouldn't have to pretend he was happier than he was while he was at the foster home. After all, at the foster home there wouldn't be anyone worrying that he wasn't acting like himself.

By the end of the night, Henry finally convinced his Mom and the rest of his family that he should go to the foster home the next morning. That meant their first night in their new apartment would also be the last night they would be together for a while. Henry tried not to dwell on that as he went to bed. Despite the problems he was having living with his family, he would miss them. Instead he tried to concentrate on the fact that he had been selected for a special mission. Henry hadn't felt this much like a hero since he found out he could help his mom and his grandma come home from the Enchanted Forest.

Unfortunately for him, being in a new bed and having so much on his mind did not allow him to have much sleep. He tossed and turned and tossed and turned all night, it seemed to Henry. By the time he finally woke up, he acted as grumpy as Mom did in the morning. "But I don't want to get up!" Henry protested, trying to dive back on to the air mattress.

"Well, I don't want to, either, but we really don't have a choice," his mother grumbled and yawned. "If we really are going to fight this woman by playing her rules, you have to be ready when she gets here."

"Come on, Henry." Mom left the room and went into the kitchen. To get a cup of coffee, no doubt. Mom lived on coffee early in the morning.

As Henry finally dragged himself out of bed, he stumbled into the kitchen. Today, he really wished he could have a cup of coffee himself. But Henry was pretty sure his Mom would say "no." So Henry settled on the corn flakes they had bought the day before.

As they all munched, Red asked the inevitable question. "Are we all still agreed that Henry has to go to the foster home today? I just want to know what the plan is."

"Yeah," Henry replied, yawning. He was pretty tired, but he still believed it was the right decision.

"I guess" replied Grandpa and Grandma as they looked at each other and then at Henry and Mom. Their faces showed they knew it was the right decision, but they didn't want to cause Mom pain or have their family separated.

"I…" Mom began. She took a huge bite of cornflakes as she paused. "I…" Mom began again. She looked at the floor. "Well…..No!" she finally answered, looking back up at everyone else. "I'm sorry, I really am…I know running away isn't the answer. But…I can't do this! I can't give Henry away _again_. I can't put him in…that foster home! Did you know one of the reasons I put him up for adoption the first time was so he'd never have to spend any time in foster care!" Mom blinked several times. Did she have something in her eyes? "If we hurry we might still be able to leave before that woman gets here!" Mom got up and ran into the bedroom they were sharing.

Great. What was he going to do now? It had taken Henry most of the night to convince Mom to let him go the first time. How was he going to convince her all over again? Especially when he was still so tired? Henry yawned again and went in after his mother. "Mom, I have to go! We have to beat this woman at her own game, remember? That's what we decided!" Henry picked up his new underwear and new blue shirt he had bought yesterday.

Mom was gathering her things as quickly as she could. "I know Henry…I know. But you need to try to understand... It was the hardest thing I ever had to do to give you up the first time…to do it again…especially when I know you won't be going to a better place! It won't be your best chance this time!" Mom blinked again. What was wrong with her eyes?

"But it will be my best chance!" Henry protested. "It will be my best chance for us to be back together permanently soon! If we run and we get caught, I can never be part of our family. This for the best, Mom." He leaned over and gave her a hug, then went into the bathroom to change. Hopefully that would convince her.

As Henry was exiting the bathroom, he heard someone open the door. He was pretty sure Mom's chance to run was gone now, even if she still wanted to. That was probably the woman who would take him away. Henry put on the bravest face he could. As he stepped toward the woman, he reminded himself who he was. He was the grandson of Snow White and Prince Charming. The son of the Savior. He had brought the Savior back to Storybrooke by _himself_. He had taken on the Evil Queen before, trying to convince her why she couldn't win. Henry tried not to remember that Evil Queen was also his mother, who died because she couldn't win. He needed to be strong.

"I'm Miss Jordan," the woman announced, introducing herself. She had bright blond hair and wore glasses. She was dressed in a gray suit. She looked very professional. "And you must be Henry?"

she asked him cheerfully, as she looked at Henry. His mom looked like she was ready to punch the woman across the face. Henry decided he'd better get in the middle of them before that happened. It would not end well. He shuttered as he remembered how Grandpa had hit one of the police officers that took Grandma away. It didn't go well, either.

Henry marched right in front of the woman and held out his hand, making sure to stand in such a way that Mom would have to hit him first in order to hit the other woman. "I'm Henry," he told her as they shook hands. "I'll go with you for now; I've decided that's okay. But we're going to fight by your rules! I will be back with my family soon. You'll see!" Henry had chosen to tell the woman their plans so she knew their family would win in the end.

The woman looked at Henry, surprised. "I'm glad you've decided to go with me Henry. I really wish I didn't have to take you away from you family. But we have to make sure your family follows the rules, too."

Henry blinked, surprised himself. He hadn't expected this woman to _want_ him to remain with his family. From his experience, people who try to take you away from your family enjoyed splitting you up. Rumplestiltskin (although he turned out to be not so bad when they found out he was Henry's other grandfather), had enjoyed trying to take Ashley/Ella's baby. Regina, had loved when she was able to take him away from Emma. Cora had also been planning on taking him away from his family and seemed to be enjoying it. (He still didn't know exactly what happened there. His family kept him away from everything!) But this woman would rather him be with his family? Henry wasn't sure he could trust her. "I see." He told her, unimpressed. But he still stood between her and his mother. If his Mom still wanted to punch the woman….

"I've set you up with a once – a week supervised visit schedule," the woman continued, talking to Mom. "I will be present at all times during these visits, observing you and your family's interaction with you son." The woman turned around and looked at the others in the room as she said this. They all nodded, although they looked at her like she was the Evil Queen. "You can also use these visits to inform me of your progress on completing the blood test, finding a job, and finding a living residence with at least three bedrooms. I will use these visits to make my recommendation to the judge on where Henry should live permanently. The visits will take place here, unless you get a new residence, or you inform me of special plans in advance. I'll mail you your court date as soon as possible." The woman paused. "I will say, again, I'm sorry about these circumstances. I know Henry just lost his adoptive mother. It's too bad he as to lose his other family, too." Her voice sounded like she was sorry, but Henry still wasn't sure.

Mom reappeared beside Henry. (When had she disappeared?) She handed him a shopping bag with his new underwear, his other shirt, and a new toothbrush. That was all the possessions he had now. The bag felt empty. Especially since it was missing his most important possession: his fairytale book. That book had been blown up when Storybrooke had been destroyed, he supposed. If he had to leave Mom, Grandpa and Grandma and their friends, he really wished he could at least take that book with him.

That book gave him hope when he had none. It wasn't just adventure stories, although Henry did love reading the adventures. It showed him that good always won. It's what taught him about the Curse and convinced him to find his biological mother. It wasn't just a storybook. It was his family's personal history book. If he had to be away from his family, why couldn't he have that book?

But as he turned around to face his Mom, he reminded himself to be strong. Mom needed to know this was still the right decision. She needed to know he would be okay. So Henry put on his bravest face again as he hugged his mother and whispered, "I'll be okay, Mom. Really. I'll see you next weekend." Then he followed the woman out the door and into her car.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I'm taking you to Portland, Henry." The woman began as they drove away from Henry's family. For now, he reminded himself. It was only temporary. Charming's were never separated permanently.

"I have a nice family that has already taken in four boys." The woman continued as she turned onto the interstate. She was still using that friendly voice, but Henry still didn't know if he could trust her. In Storybrooke, it was really easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Even under the Curse, it had been obvious Mr. Gold was extremely manipulative. And it didn't take Henry long to realize his other mom lived to make most of the town miserable, especially Grandma. Even though they redeemed themselves, Henry hadn't forgotten who they used to be and what they used to be like. Cora had been even worse than his other mom. She had Regina framed, and then did….whatever…to try to kill his whole family.

But in the real world…Henry couldn't figure out who to trust and who not to trust. Red's boss seemed like a nice man, and he had provided Red with a job that allowed them to get an apartment and buy some things yesterday. But he had been looking at Mom, Grandma, and Red kind of funny. And Mom and Grandma seemed to dislike him. This woman was taking him away from his family. She acted friendly and seemed sorry that she had to do it, but if she really was sorry…why couldn't she try harder to keep him and his family together? The main reason why Henry was going with her was because she and the rest of the people she worked for would come after his family if he didn't.

"Two of the boys are your age; maybe you can play together." Henry remained quiet. He found that unlikely. He had a very hard time relating to kids his own age. When he was living in Storybrooke under the Curse, he had realized making friends was pointless when most kids were scared of your mother. Besides, all of the other kids stayed the same age year after year, while he moved on. Even after the Curse broke, most kids didn't want to play with him. He didn't know if they were intimidated by him because of whom his family was, or if they were just keeping the same friends they always had and didn't want to make more. It didn't help that after years of not bothering to talk to the other kids; he really didn't know what to say to them. The best friend he had had in years had been Pinocchio. But Henry had no idea what happened to him since Storybrooke had been destroyed. Even Pinocchio had been three years younger than he was.

It didn't matter, Henry told himself. His mission was to get through this foster home until it was time for him to return to his family. He was strong and brave. Just like the rest of them.

It took two hours for the woman to drive him to Portland. During the time, she continued to try to explain all the good things about the foster home she was sending him to. She also constantly apologized for taking him away from his home. Henry didn't really answer. He wasn't sure what this woman's plan was or whether she was good or evil. Until he was, he didn't want to talk to her that much. Rumpellestiltskin used to use all the information you gave him against you. Would this woman do the same? Besides, he was still really tired this morning, considering he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. He dozed as they drove along the Maine Interstate.

Finally Henry felt the car pull to a complete stop. "Okay Henry we're here." He opened his eyes and looked around. In front of him was a moderately tall brown building. It was about four or five floors tall. It was completely surrounded by concrete. Grandpa would hate it, Henry said to himself. At least the apartment back in Bangor had a small front lawn, similar to the one they had had in Storybrooke. Some seagulls hobbled by, pecking at the cement for food. Grandma would like that. Too bad there hadn't been enough time for her to teach him how to use birds to send messages. Henry ached to have his family right next to him, making this journey with him. Henry remembered how sick he had felt before, when his family was separated after Storybrooke was destroyed. He felt kind of similar now. At least he didn't have to worry about his family. They'd be okay. As long as he did as he was supposed to do, he thought with a gulp. He took a deep breath and got out of the car.

The woman led Henry up to the third floor of the apartment building. She knocked on the door that said "3D." "Come in," called a happy voice from inside. The woman opened the door and ushered Henry in.

"Hello!" said a woman with shoulder – length brown hair and heavy make – up. "You must be Henry. I'm Mrs. Collard. Were so happy to have you join are family, aren't we?"

The woman looked at the man, who nodded as well. "Of course." The man was tall, with glasses and really, really dark hair. It was almost black.

The two older kids – one had brown hair about same shade as Henry's and the other had blond hair – scowled.

The younger boys looked about five or six years old. They both had red hair. They smiled brightly at Henry.

Henry nodded at the adults, deciding to tell them his plan to fight for his family right away. "I'll only be staying in this family for a little while. Then I'll go back to my real family." He stared right at them, making sure they understood how serious he was.

Mrs. Collard blinked, obviously surprised. "Well, we're happy to have you for as long as you're going to be here, Henry."

From the background , the other older boys rolled their eyes and muttered, "yeah, right." They obviously didn't believe him. It didn't matter to Henry, though. Every story had someone who didn't believe the hero could complete his mission. Henry just had to prove them wrong.

The younger boys nodded eagerly. "I wish I could go back to my real family. But they're dead. I hope someday some relatives will find me, though," one of them commented.

"Me too. I mean I hope my family will come back for me someday," the other young boy added.

Henry smiled at the hope in their eyes. He might get along okay with them.

"We're just happy to have you for as long as you need," Mrs. Collard smiled at all of the boys.

"Well, I need to be heading out. I'll pick you up next Saturday afternoon, Henry." The woman smiled at him again and left.

Henry looked around at his new temporary home. This was it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

**Disclaimers: I don't own **_**Once Upon a Time**_**. Also, this is a sequel to "Thicker than Water" which was written by La Lisboa.**

Emma had an extremely difficult weekend. Snow supposed that could be expected after watching her son disappear with a stranger. Especially since the stranger was taking Henry to a place Emma seemed to know was bad. After the car disappeared from view, Emma stared at the road for at least five minutes. When she had finally turned around, she had tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Henry," she kept whispering over and over. Snow and Charming wrapped their arms around their daughter from both sides, forming a cocoon of love. They kept holding her like that for a minute, just letting her cry and say her son's name. Snow hated seeing her daughter look so heartbroken. She hated seeing Henry disappear, too. In the short time that she remembered knowing Henry, he'd already begun to capture her heart. Still…there was a part of Snow that couldn't help the joy that swelled in her heart. After two weeks of Emma taking care of her, Snow was finally able to take care of her daughter. She could really be a mother.

"I just don't see how"...Emma gulped and sighed, trying to stop crying. "…How I can do this. I mean I know we decided it was the right decision, and the only thing we could do that would allow me to have Henry back personally. But…I already gave him up once. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. To do it again…after I know what an amazing young man he's becoming…and I know he's not going to some place better…" Emma shook her head. "Everything in me wants to run after that car and take him back!" Emma tried to wiggle out of her parents' arms, reaching for the door, almost involuntarily.

Snow and Charming held her, gently, but firmly, in place. "Emma listen, I understand," Snow began. "Putting you in the wardrobe may have been the right decision…but it was hard. Definitely the hardest thing I've ever done, and I've done a _lot _of hard things…If I had more time to think about it, I'd probably have second thoughts, too."

Charming nodded, still holding her. "Believe us, Emma. We understand why this is so hard. But this is still what's best for Henry, in the long run. We'll do everything were supposed to do, and then Henry can live with us for good. Remember that. He's coming back."

Emma nodded, finally. "Yeah." Then she disappeared into her room. They didn't see her for the rest of the day.

The next day they tried to interest Emma in other things, much like Emma had tried to interest Henry in other things after Regina's death. "So I was thinking we should get some more food soon," Snow said causally, as they all ate breakfast. "Do you think we should go to the supermarket or that Wal – Mart place again?" Snow asked, deliberately looking to Emma for input.

But Emma's response was the same that Henry's had been when people were trying to encourage him to be involved. "Whatever. They both have food." She turned her eyes back to her cornflakes as she ate.

Red tried as well. "I have about $65 from tips now. Which establishment would that amount of money be better for?"

Emma shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. Whatever you want." She took a drink of coffee. Was it Snow's imagination, or was she trying to hide behind her coffee cup?

Charming looked at Emma as he tried as well. "Emma, I know this is hard. But we do need your help to build a life here. And if we don't start doing things like getting more food,…the people in charge will never let Henry come back. We need your help to help you get Henry back."

Emma sighed and nodded. "Okay. We should probably go to the Wal – Mart again, since you guys are more familiar with it. We could use some cookware, anyway."

Snow smiled at Charming and squeezed his hand in thanks. He always knew just what to say.

So they did. They bought more cornflakes, a loaf of bread (Snow would rather make her own, but until she had the money to buy those ingredients, she'd settle for the stuff in the bag), some sandwich meat, a bag of potatoes, so Snow could try making those "French fries" they had had the other day, some chicken in a package, a strange – looking meat called hamburger, and some long strips of rolled flour which Emma called "spaghetti" with a red sauce. They also purchased a pot for cooking and a frying pan to make the French fries and hamburger. They also purchased something called "laundry soap," which Emma had forgotten to buy the other day. Finally they added another edition of the "Bangor Daily News."

But when they returned home, Emma shut herself off from everyone again. How were they going to care for her if she didn't let them? Snow tried what had sometimes worked with Henry. "Would you like us to tell you some stories of our world?"

No answer.

"Would you like to tell us some of your own stories?" Snow tried again.

No answer.

But it was Charming, again that came to the rescue. "I think our clothes are getting dirty. How about we try using this laundry soap now? Do you want to load up the sink?"

Emma came out of her room at that. "That's actually…not the best idea. We need to go to a "Laundromat" to wash our clothes. We'll put them in some bags and take the soap with us." Emma examined a map again. There's one over here, about two blocks over." Snow smiled proudly at her daughter. Emma may still be really upset about Henry being taken to this foster home, but she understood how important her knowledge about this world was to them. (And to Henry, to, if they wanted him to be able to live with them permanently.) Snow also whispered, "Thank you" in Charming's ear when Emma wasn't looking. After all, he was the one who figured out how to motivate Emma.

So they placed what little clothing they had in some bags. (All they really had was an extra shirt each and some undergarments right now.) When they reached the laundry facility, Emma showed them how to place the clothing in the machines, adjust the setting, put the laundry soap in, and place the right amount of coins inside. Snow watched in fascination as the clothes began spinning around all by themselves! "How is that possible, without using magic?" she asked, without thinking.

Emma looked at her sharply. "Keep your voice down," she whispered. "You can't say things like that in public. Magic isn't real in this world, remember. If you start talking about it too much, there could be problems. Even worse, if it gets back to that woman who took Henry…" Emma shook her head, the implication clear.

Snow's mouth dropped open, horrified at the thought. She'd never want to cost Emma a chance to get Henry back permanently! "You're right. I'll have to be more careful about what I say in public. I'm sorry."

Emma nodded., but she didn't talk to Snow at all for the rest of the day. Emma had been pretty quiet since Henry left the day before, only talking when she had to. But at least Emma would talk to the others briefly. She said goodbye to Red when she left for her job that night and she said "excuse me" when she ran into Charming by mistake. With Snow, there was nothing. She didn't even answer when Snow asked Emma what she wanted for dinner that night. Snow knew that Emma's fears of losing Henry was making her lash out. But she had said she was sorry! She wouldn't do it anymore. Why wouldn't her daughter talk to her?

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next morning Snow was determined to talk to Emma, one way or another. Charming had warned her not to push too hard, but Snow simply couldn't deal with this…whatever it was between them. She _had _to be able to talk to her daughter.

So after Emma had her cup of coffee (Snow had discovered it was best not to try to talk to Emma before that, especially if she was already upset), she approached Emma with a determined look. "Emma, we need to talk."

Emma didn't answer.

"Please, Emma. I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. I _promise_ I'll be more careful what I say in public from now on. Just…don't do this to me."

Emma sighed. "You're right." She replied finally. "I should never have given you the silent treatment yesterday. You didn't deserve that. I know you're sorry. It's just…I got so scarred. So much is riding on what…that woman says and the courts say. What if I can't get Henry back? And you guys…are so out of place here…what if someone notices that and uses it against us?"

Snow didn't really know the answer to that. Faith was more Charming's department. She definitely was out of place in this world. Still, she had been out of place in the woods at first, too. She could learn. "We'll just have to follow your lead, like we've been doing, Emma. And I'll let you in on a secret. I'm very good at adapting. How else could I go from being a princess to an outlaw living in the woods? I can adapt here, too."

Emma finally smiled. "Yeah. I should have more faith in my family. I'm sorry."

Snow sighed. "I know this is really hard on you."

"Yeah. Henry has been my joy, my reason for living for the past two years. And now that I can't see him …It's hard to be excited or even interested in anything. On top of that, I'm worried about him. How are they treating him? I've had some really bad experiences with foster homes. I can't believe I can't be there to protect him!"

Snow hugged her daughter, wishing she could have been there to protect Emma, too. "I know. But maybe…this experience will make him stronger. Like it made you. Like my time on the run made me."

"I think Henry is strong enough already." Emma grumbled.

"Well, you can look forward to seeing him on Saturday afternoon." Snow commented, still trying to comfort her daughter. "I was thinking of trying those French fry things today, if you're interested." Snow headed to the kitchen.

But as Snow began getting out the frying pan and the potatoes, she heard a ringing sound. It sounded sort of like a bell…but different, too. It was coming from her black bag…the one where she kept her money and that picture of herself that so many people seemed to find important. What was that? She picked up her bag, and after a second decided to open it. Maybe whatever was ringing was on the inside. As soon as she did, Snow found what was making the noise. It was that "cell phone" that Emma had talked about. A communication device of some sort. That meant someone was trying to communicate with her! It was funny, Snow had used the devices to contact others before, but she hadn't been contacted herself yet.

Smiling, she picked up the device and said "Hello" into it.

"Hello, this is Eastern Maine Medical Center," the person on the other side of the device said. "We have an application for housekeeping from Mary Margaret."

"That's correct," Snow replied. Why was this person contacting her? Was there something wrong with her application?

"We'd like Mary Margaret to come to the hospital for an interview, this afternoon at 2:00PM, if possible."

"That's fine," Snow replied, trying to sound causal. What was an interview? Was it a good thing or a bad thing?

"Take the side entrance on the ground floor, and tell the person at the desk you're looking for housekeeping."

"Okay," Snow agreed as the communication ceased. What was this about? She supposed she should ask Emma.

She quietly entered the room her daughter had been sharing with Red (who was in the living room reading the newspaper). Emma was lying on her air mattress staring at the ceiling. "Hi, Emma," Snow said as she sat down on the air mattress next to her.

Emma didn't answer, but kept staring at the ceiling.

"I was contacted by Eastern Maine Medical Center today. They said they wanted me to come over for an interview for their…housekeeping. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

At that Emma sat up and looked straight at Snow. "That a great thing! It means they're considering you for a job there. The sooner we all get jobs, the sooner we can look into finding a bigger place, like…that woman wants us to. We're one step closer to getting Henry back!"

Snow's eyes lit up as her daughter explained what this interview meant and how important it was. "Then it's more than great, Emma. It's wonderful." She leaned over and gave her daughter a hug. Emma even hugged her back.

"Well, don't get too excited, though," Emma warned. "You have to do well on the interview first. They're going to ask you questions about the job. Just make sure you're confident…and be careful what you say, okay?"

Snow nodded, understanding exactly what Emma meant.

"And make sure you don't sound…I don't know…like you're not interested in cleaning or something," Emma added slowly, like she wasn't sure if she should mention that.

Snow gave her daughter a strange look. "What do you mean?"

Emma sighed. "Forget it. I shouldn't have said anything."

But Snow's curiosity was peaked. "No. I want to know. Why did you say that?" she asked firmly.

Emma sighed and looked at her hands. "I just didn't know how you felt about picking up after other people. I know you can clean up here, of course, and you kept the apartment clean in Storybrooke, too. But that was for _us_. For our family. Some people get weird about cleaning after strangers. I mean you used to be a princess, right? So are you okay with being…a maid?"

Oh. So that's what this was about. Snow chuckled. "Yeah, I'll be fine with it."

"Yeah," Emma replied. "Like I said, I shouldn't have said anything. You're not a snob. I know that."

"Don't worry. I'm not angry. It's funny; there was a time, back before my mother died, where it would have bothered me. _A lot._ I had pretty rigid ideas about what princesses were supposed to do and what servants were supposed to do. But after my mother died, and more importantly, after my father died and I had to hide out in the forest…those things didn't bother me anymore. I needed to learn to survive and depend on friends. Things like…what it meant to be a princess weren't that important anymore."

"But what about after you moved back into the palace and became royalty again? Weren't you glad…to have maids and servants again?" Emma's voice sounded curious now. Did Emma really want to learn more about her as Snow? Snow's heart swelled at the thought.

"In some ways, yes. Some of them were good friends. And it wasn't possible for me to take care of the whole castle by myself, obviously. It was too big. So it was nice to have their help. But…I still did like doing things myself, too. Cooking, in particular, was always one of my favorite things to do. But the chefs would try to chase me out of the kitchen…because it wasn't proper for me to be there! I certainly don't see being a maid as beneath me, Emma. It's a job and it will help us get Henry back, like you said."

"Yeah," Emma's voice actually sounded cheerful. And Snow was overjoyed that her daughter was getting to know who Snow really was.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

At 1:30, Snow went down to the bus station to board a bus that would take her to the medical center. It was the first time she had ever done this by herself. Still, Snow had travelled on these buses several times in the last few days. She was confident she could handle it. She reached the Eastern Maine Medical Center with no trouble at all.

Now the side door. Where was the side door? This place was huge! Almost as large as their palace had been. Certainly much larger than the hospital that Regina had died in. But Snow could do it. She could find this side door and go to this interview. Like Emma said, it would help them get Henry back. That door said "Main Entrance," so that probably wasn't it. She walked around for a minute. There was a door on the side but it said "Obstetrician," so she didn't think that was the right door either. Snow kept walking.

Finally she found the door the man on the communication device had to have meant. It was on the side of the building and there were no signs on the top. She opened the door and walked in. Then Snow headed right for the desk in the corner. "I'm Mary Margaret. I'm looking for the housekeeping department."

The woman at the desk smiled at her. "Of course." She had shoulder – length blond hair and bright blue eyes. "You take the stairs at the end of the hall and it's your first door on the left."

Snow nodded and found the door easily. "Hello, I'm Mary Margaret," she announced as she stepped into the small room.

"Hello, my name is Mr. Carlow," said the man behind the desk. He was an older man, slightly balding and a few grey hairs, but still looked pleasant enough. "Have a seat," he said brightly, pointing to the empty chair. Snow did so, immensely relieved this man did not look at her the way Red's boss did.

"So," the man said looking at her application, "You are able to work mornings?"

Snow nodded. "Of course. I can work whenever you need me to, but I particularly enjoy mornings."

The man nodded and scribbled something on her application. "How are you at taking directions? Can you listen to what others tell you to do?"

"Definitely," Snow replied. "When – " Oops. Emma had told her to watch for that. She had been about to say how she had listened to all of her subjects when they had complaints and tried to do something about their problems when she was queen. "When…I was younger, friends would come to me with their problems and I would listen to them and try to do something about those problems," she finished instead.

Mr. Carlow nodded and wrote something down. "Okay, but can you do something someone else tells you to, when it isn't your idea?"

Snow thought about all the times she had to follow Emma's lead in the last few days. "Yes. I can do that."

The man nodded, although he looked a little less certain. "How long do you plan on keeping this job? Do you have other plans?"

Snow shrugged. What was the right answer to that? "No, don't really have any other plans at the moment. I really need a job to help my family. That's all I care about."

The man nodded and wrote something down again. "Do you have children? Do you have reliable childcare?"

What? What did that mean? She didn't have any children right now…just an adult daughter who was desperate to get her son back. "No, I don't have children right now. I live…with some family members who are going through some rough periods. The money from this job could help them."

The man nodded again and wrote something down. "Now, I've had a problem with employees and drugs before. There are people who see the hospital as a free ride to drugs. Do you use any drugs?" The man's voice was the most serious she had heard in the entire interview. Snow didn't know what drugs were, but she was pretty sure she didn't use them. So she said, "No, I don't use any drugs."

The man nodded. "You don't mind if I verify that with a swab test do you?"

What was the man talking about? But Snow shook her head anyway. She was handed a cotton swab. "Put in your mouth and scrape the side of your cheek." Snow did as she was told. "Now give it back to me." Snow did so.

"Okay, you're free to go. We'll let you know about the job in the next day or two."

Snow nodded and exited the hospital. When she returned to the apartment she decided to try making those French fries again. This morning when she had tried to make them, they turned out kind of dry. Emma had said they were more like potato chips than French fries. But the next batch of French fries that Snow made tasted wonderful, and they all enjoyed them with dinner. Even Red had a few before she left for The Hot Spot. (Snow still wished Red wasn't working for…that creep, but she couldn't deny the money she had earned at that job was useful. So Snow stayed quiet.)

OOOOOOOOOOO

The next morning, Snow knew she needed to look at Charming's burn. It had been a few days since she'd seen it, and she wanted to make sure it was still healing. She sighed. She really missed Doc. He was such a wonderful mix of a healer, a brother, and someone she could trust. How was she going to find someone even close to Doc to take care of her family's healing in this world?

"Charming," said Snow, trying to sound causal as they got off the air mattress. She knew his injuries were a sore spot for him. Like most men, he didn't like to appear weak. "How's your burn?"

Charming shrugged. "It's fine, Snow."

"I'd like to see it for myself, if you don't mind," Snow tried to keep her voice causal again.

She should have known she wouldn't be able to fool Charming. He knew her better than anyone. "Stop worrying, Snow. It's fine," he told her firmly.

"I'm sure it is. But I'd still like to see for myself. I worry about you because I love you; you know that."

She moved over and caressed his arm.

He gave her his special smile and kissed the top of her head. "I know….I just don't like it when people make a big deal out of my injuries and illnesses. They're a part of life, you know?"

Snow nodded, still caressing his arm. "Do you think you could let me see it, at least?"

Charming sighed. "Alright."

"Let's go into the washroom again. All the stuff for it is in there. We usually get up before the others do anyway, so maybe no one will even notice," Snow reassured him. She knew how important it was that he didn't show weaknesses to anyone else.

They tip – toed to the washroom and Snow carefully took off his shirt. To her delight, he didn't even make a face as his shirt rubbed against his burn. It really was healing, then.

But as she took off the bandages, Snow noticed the burn was still there, complete with several blisters. She carefully began washing the area with the clear liquid in the bottle.

"Yoewww!" Charming said immediately, obviously resisting the urge to scream as loud as he could and wake everyone else. "That stuff feels like a thousand bees stinging me all at once!" He told her as she finished.

"Well, it all done now. And it is keeping it from getting infected; I can tell." She got some new dressings and began re – bandaging his chest.

"The nightmares aren't as frequent anymore, right?" she asked him as they tip –toed back to their room. The rest of the house was still silent, so they tried to remain quiet.

He nodded. "I haven't gone to the burning room again since the night I got this," He gestured to the burn on his chest.

"That's good," Snow replied.

OOOOOOOOOO

During breakfast Emma drank her coffee and ate some cornflakes silently again. Sometimes she'd look to her right, subconsciously, almost as if she expected Henry to be sitting right next to her. Snow's heart broke all over again. How were they going to help Emma deal with this? She looked to Red and Charming for help.

Charming seemed to be thinking, when Red suddenly asked, "Emma, can you tell us what a yard sale is? I saw some announcements about them in the newspaper I looked at yesterday."

Emma nodded. "They're a way for people to get rid of things they don't need any more. Other people buy them at low prices." She went back to eating.

"That sounds like a great way to get some new things," Charming commented. "Where are they?" he asked Red, although he was obviously hoping to get Emma involved in the conversation again.

"Most of them that I've seen in the paper are in that next town. Hampden?"

Snow nodded. This sounded like a good idea. "We could take the bus there, like we did last week."

Red nodded, "They're not until Saturday, so we'd have to wait until then."

Emma finally looked up at that. "But Henry…Henry's supposed to visit on Saturday! I mean, going to

yard sales might be a good idea, I suppose. We could buy some more clothes so we didn't have to go to the Laundromat every two days. Maybe I could even find some games for Henry. But on the day he's supposed to visit…no." She shook her head to empathize her point.

"But most of the yard sales are supposed to be in the morning, Emma. Couldn't we go to them in the morning and still be back here with enough time to see Henry? If we could find some things for less money…"

Emma sighed as she finished her coffee. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't really enjoy getting up early." Everyone laughed at that. Emma would never be a morning person. "But I could see why finding some more clothes, or dishes stuff like that that people sell at a yard sale would be nice to buy cheaply. Can we use your tip money again, Ru – Red?"

Red nodded. "Of course. You know, it's really okay if you prefer to call me Ruby now. It may not be the name I was born with, but it's who I am at the restaurant. I'm getting used to it."

Emma nodded. "Thanks."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It was almost time for Red to return to her job with her scum – ball boss when Snow's communication device rang again. This time, Snow knew exactly what was making the ringing noise and what she should do about it, so she answered it right away. "Hello," she said into the device.

"Hello, Mary Margaret?" said the man with the other communication device. It sounded like the same man she had talked to the day before.

"Yes?" she replied.

"This is Eastern Maine Medical Center. We have decided to give you the housekeeping job. You can report to the hospital tomorrow at 7:00 AM. The job starts at 8:00 but we need you to fill out some paper work first, social security and what not. You'll go in the same door you did yesterday and find my office. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Yes, I understand. Thank you. Thank you very much." Snow ceased the communication, smiling. She had a job! Emma would be so happy! They were closer to getting Henry back, just like Emma had said yesterday.

"Guess what?" she called to Red as she was leaving. "I got another call from that hospital, Eastern Maine Medical Center. They gave me a job, in housekeeping, or cleaning, I guess."

Red smiled and gave Snow a hug. "That's great! That's right over where my restaurant is."

Snow nodded but didn't comment. She'd rather not think too much about the restaurant her friend worked at. "I start tomorrow morning. Emma will be thrilled," Snow continued, concentrating on the important part, as far as she was concerned. "The sooner we can all get jobs, the sooner we can find a bigger apparent. Then Henry can come back to live with us!"

"Of course. I can't wait until he comes back!" Red agreed. "Look I've got go, but congratulations."

After Red shut the door, Snow tried not to think about what happened at the restaurant that Red worked at, where she was headed right now. Instead she concentrated on what she just told Red. Emma was going to be so happy.

"Emma!" Snow exclaimed, rushing to the room she shared with Red (that Emma still spent almost all her time in), "I got the housekeeping job at the hospital! I start tomorrow. Isn't that great? Like you said, we're a little closer to getting Henry back."

Emma had been sitting on her air mattress, staring at her shoes. But when she heard Snow say that, she looked up and smiled. "That's wonderful. It really is. I'm really starting to believe we can get Henry back."

Snow sat down next to her. "Of course we will."

"I just wish I didn't worry so much about him right now. Foster homes are horrible places…They'll be no one to take care of Henry there. Even worse…what if they're mistreating him? I really wish I could have just told that woman, 'No! You can't have my son!'"

Snow nodded, remembering how much she wished she could just tell Regina not to cast the Curse so she didn't have to be separated from her family. "I know. Believe me, I do. But we couldn't do it that way. You already explained that to us. If we had attacked her, or the people she works for, we wouldn't have support. We'd never get Henry back that way."

"Yeah."

"I'm going to make some dinner. I think I'll make those chickens in that package with the rice. Does that sound good?"

"Sure," Emma replied, lying down on her air mattress and looking up at the ceiling again. Snow returned to the kitchen. Charming was still going for a walk. He did that a lot; he wanted to enjoy as much of the outdoors as he could. (Which unfortunately for him, was a lot less than he'd like.) Sometimes, when he went earlier in the day, Snow went with him, but right now she had to make dinner. He'd be back soon.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

That night, Snow told Charming about her new job (he was overjoyed, knowing it meant Henry was closer to coming home), and they finished the chicken and the rice she had made for supper.

Snow decided she'd use the new communication device to call the dwarves. It had been almost a week since she had seen her adopted brothers, and Snow didn't want them to think they weren't important to her any more, just because they lived in a different town now. So much had happened in this past week, and she needed to share it with them. She just hoped they could figure out how to answer the device easier than she had.

So Snow dialed the number that said Leroy (Grumpy). Apparently Leroy was his name in this world. She waited for almost a minute, it seemed like, before Grumpy finally answered. "Yeah, what do you want, sister?"

"Hi Grumpy, it Snow!" she said brightly, not at all bothered by her brother's cranky attitude. Grumpy would always be Grumpy.

"Hello, Snow," Grumpy replied, sounding slightly less…grumpy. Snow was after all one of Grumpy's favorite people.

"So how are you doing with the apple trees," she asked, eager to hear what the dwarves had been doing as well.

"Well, Emma was right. We're picking it up pretty easily. I guess farming isn't so different than mining after all." Snow's heart swelled with pride that Emma had been able to find something the dwarves could do.

"And Sleepy and Sneezy? How are they doing?" Snow asked, concerned. They had been doing a little better when they had left the cave. At least they were eating and listening to Granny. But still…

"They still don't remember who they are or who we are," Grumpy…grumbled. "But they're eating. And they're really enjoying taking care of the apple trees. At least they're starting to consider the rest of the dwarves friends now."

Snow smiled at that. She was glad Sneezy and Sleepy realized they had friends. "That's good to hear, at least…You know I got a job today."

"That's interesting. What is it?" Grumpy asked, curious.

"Cleaning. For one of the hospitals in the city we're living in. It's called Eastern Maine Medical Center."

"I see," Grumpy replied. His voice showed her he was unsure whether this was a good thing or not. "You make sure they treat you well, okay? Or you let me know about it."

"Of course," Snow wasn't' offended by Grumpy's attitude that he had to protect Snow. It was just the way he was; he always thought it was his job to protect her from everyone and everything. When he first got to know Charming, Grumpy even tried to protect Snow from him!

Which is exactly why Snow didn't want to tell Grumpy about the "Henry" situation. If Grumpy knew Snow's grandson had been taken away, he'd try to take Henry back by force. Which according to Emma, was the worst possible thing they could do. So instead, she made small talk for a few more minutes, then said goodnight.

OOOOOOOOOO

Snow got up with Charming the next morning as she always did. However, since she had to go to the hospital early, she couldn't "play" with him as much as she usually did. Charming was a little disappointed, but he understood. As long as David still had that burn on his chest, they couldn't take it very far, anyway. Snow dressed and ate some breakfast quietly, not wanting to wake anyone else. She gave her husband one last kiss and headed for the bus.

After she arrived at the same office she was in the other day the man, Mr. Carlow was sitting at the desk. "Hello, Mary Margaret. Have a seat." After doing so, he asked to see the see the same things the dwarves were asked to show when they found the job at the orchard. These things included that picture of herself and a card with her alias and a long number on it. Then Snow filled out a few forms, promising she wouldn't use the hospital to obtain unneeded prescription drugs. She still wasn't sure what drugs were, but she'd make sure she didn't take anything from the hospital.

Then Mr. Carlow showed her the room next door. "This is your employee room" he told her. "You can put your purse in here," (Snow decided he must mean the black bag she carried with all her things in it) and have a cup of coffee on your break. He pointed to the coffee pot in the corner.

He also handed her a purple shirt that said "Housekeeping" on it. "This is your uniform." Snow supposed that meant she should put the shirt on. She quickly found a nearby washroom and did so.

Soon, Snow was introduced to the other women she would be working with. One was a woman who appeared to be in her fifties. Her name was Marianne. When Snow thought about it for a minute, she realized that was exactly how old she should be now. After all, Emma was Snow's daughter, and she was almost thirty. Snow looked at herself and then at Marianne. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought of this before. But for Snow to see the physical evidence of what she looked like…and what she _should_ look like; it was hard to deal with. She couldn't decide whether she was glad to know she had so much life left to live, or sad because of all the time she had already lost.

The other two women were closer to Snow's age now. One of them had short, curly brown hair. (Seriously, this world was obsessed with short hair for women!) Her name was Cindy. The other had shoulder – length red hair. She said her name was Wendy.

Marianne showed Snow how to wash the hallways of the hospital. "Hospitals have to be kept as sterile as possible, so we have to wash these halls several times a day." She showed Snow the washer and the bucket she would use. Snow was glad to see this world had invented something similar to a broom for washing. She was sure it would be easier to wash floors standing up rather than kneeling on the floor with a sponge. "Make sure you don't get any in your eyes by mistake," Marianne warned. "It has bleach in it." Snow had no idea what bleach was, but she was sure it wouldn't be good for her eyes. She'd be careful. Marianne also told her to make sure she used the "Wet Floor" signs when she washed. They needed to be careful people didn't slip.

At 10:30 the women took something called a "coffee break." Snow stayed away from the coffee. She knew Emma lived on the stuff in the morning, but it didn't have much appeal to her. She preferred cinnamon hot chocolate (although it really was too warm for that right now.) Still, she didn't mind having a drink of water while the other woman drank their coffee.

"So how's your first day going?" Wendy asked Snow.

"Not bad," Snow replied, shrugging. "I'm just glad I have a job."

Wendy nodded. "I know what you mean. "I'm trying to go back to college soon, but it's expensive so I need really need a job, too."

"I'm a single mother to my eight - year – old son," Cindy commented as she took a sip of coffee. "I definitely need a job," she chuckled.

Snow nodded. These women were easy to talk to. She was going to enjoy working with them.

"We all need jobs," Marianne added causally from the background. "It's the way of the world." It's the way of this world, anyway, Snow thought to herself. Not that people in the Enchanted Forest didn't work. Of course they did. But people in that world didn't need to "find a job"; they had one made for them.

After the coffee break, Marianne showed Snow what to do next. It included how to check the patient's bathrooms, take care of their garbage, and take off the sheets on beds that were not being used. Snow was assigned to take care of all the "maternity ward" (Snow quickly discovered that meant women who had recently had babies), as well as some patients who didn't seem to have hair for some reason.

Snow finally finished at 1:00PM, at the same time as Wendy and Cindy. They picked up their bags and headed outside. "I have about an hour before I need to pick up Timmy from daycare," Cindy commented as they walked. "I think I'm…" Snow never heard the rest of what she was saying.

Because standing in front of the hospital, off to the side so he wouldn't get in the way, was Charming. "Charming!" Snow exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled at her, a cross between a cat – that – ate the canary grin, and soft, loving smile. "We didn't get much time together this morning," he explained. "So I thought maybe I'd catch you after you finished and ride the bus home with you."

Snow heart melted as she walked over to her husband. "How is it that you just get more and more…Charming the longer I know you?" she asked him as they walked to the bus station.

He chuckled. "I guess you call me Charming for a reason."

"Definitely," Snow replied as she took his hand and squeezed. "So, how's Emma?"

"A little bit better. She's really happy you have a job now. But she still spends most of her time her bedroom. Red's back at the apartment with her. Maybe she can help."

OOOOOOOOOOO

The next day was basically the same as the day before, although she left the apartment later because she didn't have to be at the hospital until 8:00 AM. She washed the floor exactly the way Marianne had showed her. They all had a coffee break at 10:30AM.

As soon as Wendy and Cindy poured their coffee, however, they pounced on Snow. "So the man we saw yesterday, he was yours, right?" Cindy asked.

It took Snow a few seconds to realize they wanted to know if she and Charming were a couple. "Of course," she replied.

"So where'd you find that one?" Wendy asked her voice full of envy. "I mean he's cute and he's sweet enough to pick up your first day of work."

Snow nodded, taking a sip of water. She had forgotten how much fun it was to talk about men with girlfriends. She hadn't done it with Red in years. "I know, and I didn't even know he was coming! He just showed up to surprise me."

Cindy shook her head. "I didn't know they made men like that anymore. My last boyfriend picked me up when I begged him. And paid for his gas!" She sipped her coffee. "Seriously, where did you find him?"

Snow had to think about how to answer that question. Even though this was just girl talk, Snow couldn't forget Emma's warning. She had to be careful what she said to people in this world. She knew people didn't really have carriages in this world, so she probably shouldn't mention that. "We met on the road," she said finally. "I actually took something from him and he wanted it back," Snow fiddled with her ring as she said that.

Cindy nodded, seeming to understand. Was that more common in this world than in theirs? Not many people in the Enchanted Forest could believe Snow actually met her prince when she was stealing from him.

"So does he have any brothers?" Wendy asked, hopefully.

Snow sighed. "Yes. Well, he had a brother but he died."

Wendy and Cindy's smiles disappeared. "That's too bad. Was he close to his brother?'

Snow shook her head. "Not really. They were raised separately. But I know he regrets not knowing him."

"Well, we should get back to work," Marianne called to them from outside. She had visited the restroom. So they did.

**So what did you think of that? I'd love to hear from my readers. Thanks to those of you who have already given reviews. Much appreciated.**

**I know this chapter was only one POV, which is unusual for me, but Snow wouldn't shut up! LOL. **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

**Disclaimers: I don't own **_**Once Upon a Time.**_** Also this is a sequel to "Thicker than Water" which was written by La Lisboa.**

Henry knew foster care would be difficult. He'd have to live away from his family for a while. Plus, Mom had already mentioned the hard times she'd experienced in foster homes. But Henry would do anything to help his family stay together. Even if that meant he had to live away from his family for a while.

Still, this family was…different. The first time Henry noticed it was Sunday morning. All of the boys got up before the grown – ups and ate candy bars for breakfast.

"Help yourself, kid," said the brown – haired boy to Henry. His name was Tim. He was eating a Kit – Kat bar. Henry didn't really like it when he called him "kid." It was the way he said it more than anything. Mom called him "Kid" all the time; she had been doing it since he met her in Boston. But when she said it, it was affectionate. Henry was Emma's kid, and Henry knew that's why she used that nickname. When this…Tim called him "kid," he said it like he didn't care what Henry's name was at all.

"I think there might be one more in the cupboard," added the blond - haired boy. His name was Evan. He gestured to the cupboard behind him. "Get it if you want to eat." He was munching on a Crunch bar.

"Candy? For breakfast?" Henry asked, confused.

"Mr. and Mrs. Collard don't care," one of the red – haired boys commented. His name was Ronald. He was munching on a Hershey's bar.

The other red haired boy nodded. "I hate not being home, but as long as I'm here…eating candy bars for breakfast is pretty neat." His name was Bobby. He was also munching on a Crunch bar.

"If you don't hurry up, kid, I'll eat that last candy bar myself," warned Tim. "Then you won't have any candy bars at all. You'll be stuck with boring old toast."

Henry shrugged and went to the cupboard. Evan was right. There was one more candy bar left. It was another Hershey's bar. He looked at it for a second. Candy for breakfast sounded tasty, but Henry wasn't sure it was a good idea. His mother Regina was extremely strict and wouldn't let him eat candy at all. His mother Emma allowed him candy now and then, but never for breakfast.

"Hey are you going to eat that or stare at it?" Evan asked. "Are you some kind of freak who doesn't eat candy, or something?"

"Freak! Freak! Freak! Freak!" Tim began to chant. He shoved the last bit of Kit – Kat bar into his mouth and lunged for the candy bar in Henry's hand.

"No! It's mine!" Evan countered, also lunged for Henry's Hershey bar.

Henry looked horrified as the two older boys came at him. He let go of the candy bar and stepped aside. Candy wasn't worth a fight like this. The boys hit each other at the same time instead.

"I called it first!" Tim cried as he punched Evan's face.

"You had the extra one last week!" Evan countered, hitting the other boy's shoulder.

The boys fought for several minutes before Tim was considered the winner. "Just you wait," Evan threatened him, waving a bruised arm. "One of these days…"

"Yeah?" Tim grunted munching on the extra candy bar. "One of these days what?"

"I'm going to teach you a lesson, that's what! You just wait."

Henry shook his head at their bizarre behavior. Beating on each other over a candy bar? He reached for the bread. Toast was fine.

Just then, Mrs. Collard walked into the kitchen. Henry waited for her to comment on Tim and Evan's bruises and cuts. It was obvious they had been fighting. But the woman simply began brewing coffee, without batting an eye.

Henry shook his head again as he made his toast.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Another thing Henry noticed was that the boys spent most of their days watching TV. Henry liked TV as much as anyone, and there were times he enjoyed watching certain shows. Or just flipping through the channels when there was nothing else to do could be fun, too. But Henry had no desire to watch TV _all day long_.

Henry longed to go outside. Outside he could practice sword fighting (even though he had lost his wooden sword when Storybrooke blew up, he could still use a tree branch or something). He might even be able to learn how talk to birds, like Grandma did. But Portland wasn't a small town like Storybrooke, or even a small city like Bangor. There was no place to play outside at all.

Since outside wasn't an option, Henry would've liked to play video games. At least with video games, he could take an active role in the story. Henry remembered one time when his mother Regina had bought him a video game, a Game Boy actually. It was after his mother Emma had come to town. Henry didn't think Regina really loved him at all then. After all, she was the Evil Queen, so how could she love anyone? But his mother Regina had bought him a video game for no reason except as she said, "I love you." And she even let him see Emma after that, briefly at the sheriff's station. It was the first time Henry had wondered if Mom Regina loved him a little, after all.

Henry really wished he still had that Game Boy now. Not only would it be more interesting than Bugs Bunny but it was an example of how much Mom Regina really had cared for him. He missed her. Still, wherever she was now, Henry hoped she was okay. She had redeemed herself before she died, so she should go to the good place, right? Where no one was hurt?

But what about his other Mom? And his grandparents? Were they okay? Were his grandparents adjusting to life in this world? How was Mom handling the fact that he was in a foster home? Henry knew his purpose in this mission was to live in this foster home for now. And Henry was determined to fulfill that purpose. It had given his life meaning again. But Henry couldn't stop worrying about his family. Henry had been…almost excited that he had his own personal adventure now. But he had forgotten the lesson he learned when the failsafe went off and he had been separated from both his Moms. No one tells you about the emotional toll those adventures take. This personal adventure, this foster home was a lot harder than he had thought it would be.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Henry found out that even though Tim and Evan were…troublesome, Bobby and Ronald were pretty nice. They were kind of young for Henry to play with all the time, but sometimes they could be alright. Thursday afternoon, while Tim and Evan were _still _watching TV, Henry, Bobby, and Ronald were singing children's songs. They sang, "The Wheels on the Bus," "On Top of Spaghetti," and "Old McDonald had a Farm."

"I wish I lived on a farm with Old McDonald," Ronald grumbled as they finished singing. "I bet Old McDonald is really nice and lets you play with all the animals. I bet he pays attention to you, too."

Henry nodded. Ronald had inadvertently pinpointed Henry's problems with Mr. and Mrs. Collard. They weren't bad people; they went to work every day like they were supposed to. They didn't yell at the boys or hit anyone. But they never paid any attention to the boys in their charge. That was why the other boys had candy bars for breakfast on Sunday. It was because the Collard's didn't care that it wasn't healthy. That was why Tim and Evan watched TV all day. The Collard's didn't tell them to find something else to do. Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Collard also didn't provide them with anything else to do. They never mentioned taking the boys to a local park, or a library, or providing them with anything else to play with. And when they arrived home, they didn't ask the children how their day went, or talk about funny things that happened that day. Most importantly, they didn't explain to Tim and Evan why they shouldn't fight each other or punish them for doing so. As a result, Henry had witnessed one other fight so far this week. And Henry knew the Collards' had at least heard it. They just didn't _care_ at all. This foster home was a lonely place. Henry couldn't wait to see his family on Saturday.

"I don't need to live on a farm," Bobby commented. "I just need my family back. Someday my mom will get better and come get me. I know she will."

Henry wondered what was wrong with Bobby's Mom but he didn't ask. Instead he said, "Me too. I want my family back, too. Although…a farm would be nice. I wish we could go outside more." He looked around the apartment and the concrete outside. "Grandpa grew up on a farm. I bet he'd like to live on a farm, again."

Ronald and Bobby looked at Henry with interest. "You have a grandpa?" they asked at the same time.

Henry nodded.

"What is he like? Does he play catch with you? Does he tell you stories? I always wanted a grandpa to do that." Ronald commented

Before Henry could answer, Bobby asked, "If you have a grandpa why aren't you staying with him while you're waiting for you Mom?" He sounded confused.

Henry smiled. "I was supposed to live with Grandma and Grandpa and my mom, as well as a friend of theirs. But the lady…she said the apartment was too small or something for all of us. So Mom and Grandpa and Grandma and I decided to fight her with her rules. They'd find a bigger place and some jobs, and I'd go to the foster home until they were ready. Then the woman can't stop us from living together again." Henry got excited again as he explained the plan and how he was going to help with it.

But Ronald and Bobby just looked at Henry, even more confused.

Maybe he should just talk about other things, Henry thought to himself. "Grandpa tells me lots of stories," Henry continued. "About his life on the farm, about him and Grandma, and about how they defeated their enemies." Henry was careful to keep the details of these stories vague. These boys might be pretty young, but Henry knew there might be problems if he told them who his grandparents really were and what those stories entailed.

Still, Ronald and Bobby seemed interested as he talked about Grandpa. They both nodded. "What else does he do with you? Does he play catch with you? Or take you swimming or something?"

Henry shrugged. "I'm sure he'd do those things if I asked him. But I like to practice sword fighting with Grandpa. It's fun and he's a great teacher. He used to be _really_ good at it. We used to have these great wooden swords…before our home was destroyed."

Ronald nodded. "Sounds like fun. Maybe you could teach us someday."

Henry shook his head. "We'd have to go outside. I don't see that happening anytime soon."

They both nodded sadly.

OOOOOOOOOOO

When Henry got up on Saturday morning, he bounced with excitement. He was going to visit his family today! Would Mom have a new job yet? How were his grandparents doing? Was Red's boss still looking at her funny? After he ate breakfast (everyone ate toast, because there were no candy bars in the house) and put on his new shirt, he was ready. All he had to do was wait for the woman to arrive.

And wait. And wait. And wait. When would she get here?

Henry began flipping through one of Mrs. Collard's magazines, looking for something to do while he passed the time. Tim walked into the living room after a few minutes. He burst out laughing when he saw Henry. "I knew you were a freak!" he crowed. "You won't eat candy, you play with little boys, and you read _women's magazines_!" He flopped himself in front of the TV and turned it on. Henry shook his head and reminded himself to be strong. Soon he'd see his family again.

About an hour later, Henry heard someone walking toward the apartment. Was this her? Was he finally going to see his family? The Collards' must have heard her coming as well because their behavior was suddenly very different. Two minutes ago, Mr. Collard was just watching the morning show that Tim had turned on. Now, he suddenly moved to the couch to sit next to the boy. Mrs. Collard had been flipping through one of her magazines. But when she heard someone coming in, she put the magazine down and began talking to Henry. "Do you think that's Miss Jordan, Henry? I bet it is."

So when the woman finally opened the door, the woman saw two involved parent – figures that cared about the boys. Henry shook his head. They were better actors than Mr. Gold and Mom Regina. "Hello, Henry," the woman said brightly. "Are you ready to go? We need to leave a little early because I need you to take a blood test before we leave."

Henry nodded eagerly. The sooner he left to see his family, the better.

"Well, have fun, Henry," Mrs. Collard called cheerfully as he walked off with the woman.

"We'll see you when you get back," Mr. Collard added. Yes, unfortunately he would have to return to this lonely place later today. But Henry tried not to think about that right now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOO

Friday afternoon, as Red was getting ready for work, she suddenly realized something. Tonight would be a full moon. She hadn't seen her hood in a long time. Could it be back in the cave? Did she have time to look for it? Maybe she should just call in sick. Then she could just wait for the change to happen and go running in the forest. She hated to do that, after all her friends depended on her tips for money. But how could she explain that she would be changing into a wolf to her boss or the other waitresses?

She reached for her communication device. "I think I'm going to call the restaurant and tell them I won't be in tonight. It's a full moon, you know." Snow, who had been reading some papers she had found at the hospital, nodded.

Emma, however, ran out of their bedroom. "Actually, you really don't need to do that. There's no magic in this world, so you can't turn into a wolf anymore."

Red was completely shocked. It made sense; if there wasn't any magic in this world of course she couldn't be a wolf. But changing into a wolf on the full moon had been a part of her life for so long, it seemed as much a part of her as her brown hair. "Are you sure?" she asked Emma. "I mean, I know people don't perform magic in this world, but changing into a wolf…it's different. It's not really a spell or a potion I drink or anything. It's a part of _me_."

Emma nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. You didn't change into a wolf until after Storybrooke became magical. So you won't change here."

Red nodded. "Okay, I guess I should go to work then." She tried to sound cheerful as she headed out the door to her bus. This was a good thing, right? It meant she could still work tonight. She could still get tip money that her family could use. Plus, how many times had she wished she wasn't a werewolf over the years? Then she wouldn't have killed Peter. She wouldn't be that monster everyone feared.

But as Red boarded the bus, she couldn't shake the feeling that a part of her was missing. She wouldn't be able to run around the forest anymore, feeling the wind rushing against her fur. She couldn't throw her head back and howl, just for the fun of it. She couldn't have all those natural weapons to defend her family if she needed to.

When Red arrived at The Hot Spot and changed into her uniform, Mr. Jenison looked her up and down and gave her rear as squeeze, as usual. Red sighed as she began waiting on customers (many who also enjoyed the way she looked). She knew her surrogate family didn't approve of her working here, even though the tips did provide them with money. If they knew what her uniform looked like, they would like her job even less. That's why she kept her uniform at the restaurant and dressed there. She understood their point of view. Mr. Jenison shouldn't be looking at women who worked for him like this, much less touching them like that.

Honestly, the only man who had ever touched her breast was Peter, and that was only once. So it wasn't like Red was in the habit of men…doing that to her. But for some reason, it just didn't bother her. Red knew the way Mr. Jenison acted _should _make her uncomfortable. But it didn't. She needed a job, and her family needed money. Now she had a job and her family had the money they needed. That's all there was too it.

What was making her uncomfortable was watching the sky darken. But nothing would happen to Red. She would never transform into a wolf ever again.

"Ma'am?" asked one of the customers, a slightly overweight man with brown hair. "I asked for some ice!"

Red nodded. She had been so distracted by the sky, she had forgotten about the man's request for ice! "Of course. Right away, sir," she replied. She picked up his glass, filled it with ice and returned it to him.

A half hour later, as she was writing down two men's order for double cheeseburgers and fries, she saw the moon out of the corner of her eye. It was shining through the window, and the light hit her skin. But Red's skin did not turn to fur. It was official. She would never be a werewolf again.

Red tried to hold her head high. She'd be okay. She needed to move on and stop caring about becoming a wolf. She looked back at the two men, expecting them to yell at her to take care of their orders. That's what she was supposed to do, right? It was her job. But the men were too busy examining her breasts to care. She shrugged. It didn't really matter. At least they didn't care that she'd been daydreaming. "So that's two double cheeseburgers with fries and two cokes, right?" she asked.

"Uh – huh," they both replied, still staring at her chest. She chuckled as she went to give their orders to the cook. If she gave them fish burgers with rice instead, would they even care?

XXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOO

Emma woke up on Saturday with one thing on her mind: seeing Henry. After a week of spending most of her days in her bedroom, Emma would be able to see the person who gave her life joy. Would Henry be okay? She hoped so. Some foster parents could be abusive. What if he had been put in one of those homes? If Henry came home mistreated, no one could stop her from running away with him in the woods. Not her parents, who didn't want her to run away from problems; not that woman who insisted she "follow the rules"; not even Henry himself, who was determined to do his part in this fight. Nothing was more important to Emma than Henry's safety.

As she poured herself a cup of coffee (as excited as Emma was about today, it was morning, so it still required coffee), Ruby had the paper sprawled over the counter. "So, I have about $65 for us to spend today. Which of these yard sales do we want to go to?" Oh. Right. They were supposed to go to the yard sales today. It was probably a good idea.

"How about this one?" Emma pointed to an ad for one of the yard sales in the newspaper. "It's right on Hampden Main street, so it' shouldn't be very hard to find." The others nodded.

"How about this one? It says it has lots of clothes for sale," Mar – _Snow_ asked.

Emma looked at the address. "I think that street is right near the Shop'N Save. It shouldn't be that hard to find, either."

"We should go to the bus stop soon, or we'll miss our chance to go to these yard sales," David commented, looking outside. "Remember, the buses only go to that Hampden town a few times a day." Emma sighed. He was probably right. They all quickly went to the bedrooms to change their shirts and undergarments. Hopefully, soon they would have pants as well.

As they boarded the bus fifteen minutes later, Emma decided she'd rather have Henry have more clothes. She pictured his face when she presented him with new clothes. Maybe she'd even find him a new Game Boy or a new book.

The bus dropped them off in front of the same gas station they had been dropped off at last week. "Let's go to the one near the Shop'N Save first. It's the closest."

So they did. There were a lot of clothes at this yard sale, as it advertised. Emma admired some blue shorts marked at $1. Some of the days were pretty warm right now. It might be nice to have some shorts. They looked like they would fit her. Then she remembered Henry. How could she be thinking of buying clothes for herself when Henry didn't have more than one change of clothes? Henry also had no books or Game Boys. She put the shorts down. If Henry had to be in a foster home, the least Emma could do was make sure she bought things for him before she worried about herself.

Mary – _Snow_ examined a pair of grey pants and a green and brown shirt. She held them up in front of herself nodding. "That looks nice. I think that would fit you pretty nicely," Emma commented, nodding approval.

David, who had been looking at some silverware sets, looked up and laughed. "I love it! It brings back memories."

Snow smiled at him and laughed as well. "Good. That's what I was hopping. I think a little bit of home is a good idea, don't you?" David nodded, obviously happy with the idea. Emma, on the other hand, looked from one parent to the other, trying to figure out what they were talking about. How could an outfit like that remind them of the Enchanted Forest? Didn't they wear ball gowns and suits back there? After all, they were a princes and princesses, right?

Emma was about to ask what they meant when the woman who was running the yard sale looked up as well. "That looks nice on you, Ma'am," she said to Snow. "The pants are $1 and the shirt is $.75." Snow nodded as Red handed the lady her money. But Emma couldn't believe how close she had come to asking about something that she shouldn't be asking in public. And after she had cautioned her mother over and over about that very thing! She'd have to be careful what she said from now on as well.

Red also bought a few pairs of grey and black pants for herself and the one of the silverware sets David had been looking at. They spent about $5. "Emma, why didn't you get those blue pants, well sort – of pant – things - you were looking at earlier?" Snow asked her as they walked away from that yard sale.

Emma shrugged. "I have enough clothes for now, and I'd rather get some things for Henry. He's the one who has to be away from his family right now. He should get all the new things."

Snow nodded. "That makes sense. But Emma, we have quite a bit of money, and things at these 'yard sales' are pretty cheap. There's no reason why you can't get one thing, at least for yourself."

Emma shrugged again. "I'd just like to know Henry has everything he needs first."

Snow sighed. "And I'd like to know you have everything you need. We had so much we wanted to give you back in the Enchanted Forest…a crib, a unicorn mobile, beautiful clothes, teddy bears…the list goes on." Emma nodded. She remembered seeing all of that when she and Snow were in the castle ruins. It was the main thing that really showed her how much her parents had loved her and wanted the best for her when they put her in the wardrobe.

Out loud she replied, "I'll think about it. Hopefully the next yard sale will have some stuff for Henry." Emma opened up the newspaper to see what other yards sales were available in the area. After all, they had only decided on two before they had to hurry to get on the bus.

"Here's another one up the street, near the schools. Toys, games, and hardware. I wish I knew what kind of toys and games they were talking about. What else is there? There's still that other one on Main Street. Why don't we go that way? That one has books, DVDs and clothes. We could try it."

So they all began walking in the other direction. It was tiresome but Emma was getting more used to walking. About half way to their desired location, however, they spotted another sale, inside a garage. "Let's see what this one has first," David suggested. They all agreed.

It had a lot of stuff for a kid, including clothes, games, and books, but they were mostly for a girl. Emma did find some children's detective novels she thought Henry might be interested in, though. He really enjoyed figuring out the secrets of Operation Cobra, after all. Maybe he'd like these, too. The books cost $. 50 all together.

They finally made it to the other yard sale on Main Street. Unfortunately, most of the clothes for the women were a little big. David found several pants and shirts that would probably fit him, however. Mar - _Snow_ didn't seem to mind there weren't any clothes for her. She was too busy admiring the clothes David was looking at. "I think the brown one looks nice," she commented as he held up a brown shirt with short sleeves. "And the blue. I love blue on you," she added as she put a blue buttoned – down shirt in front of him. "It really brings out your eyes."

Emma rolled _her_ eyes and tried to tune them out. Of course she was happy that they were happy, especially after all of the problems they had during the Curse. But sometimes, seeing them act like that…it got a bit much. What else was available to look at here? Ruby was examining some books; they looked like romance novels. Emma shook her head. She had little patience for reading drivel like that. There must be _something _that would interest Emma on one of these tables. Otherwise, she'd have to keep listening to her parents.

"…What about these?" Snow was saying, holding up a one pair of blue jeans for David, and one pair of dark blue pants. "I think they'd look _great _on you."

Emma turned around again and desperately looked for _something else _to concentrate on. She really wished they had some clothes for Henry here. Then suddenly, Emma spotted something in a corner, behind some jewelry displays. Mugs!Perfect. It was a bit warm for hot cocoa right now, but Emma knew Snow would want some in a few months, with cinnamon of course. Which one would she like best? There was one with a dog, but Emma didn't really think her mother was a dog person. There was one that was solid green. It was pretty, but not really _Snow_. There was one with hearts on it. She might like that. Emma picked it up. $.25. Not bad. She picked up the one with the dog on it. Henry might like this one. After all, he always loved Pongo. And Henry would probably want cinnamon cocoa when it got colder, too.

Then Emma looked at the green one. She had been known to drink cinnamon cocoa herself, especially when she was talking to her mother. Plus, she drank coffee by necessity every morning. She still felt funny, buying something for herself, when she still hadn't found Henry any clothes. But Emma had found some things for Henry to enjoy. And she remembered what Snow had said earlier. There was no reason why she couldn't get at least one thing for herself. The mugs were only $.25 a piece. "Hey Ruby, what do you think of these?" Emma asked, holding up the mugs.

Ruby shrugged, still looking at the romance novels. Snow looked up from admiring David and the clothes she was helping him pick out. "They're nice for your coffee, Emma. But honestly, I don't enjoy coffee, and I don't think anyone else here does either. We probably won't need that many."

Emma smiled and chuckled. "I figured that. But mugs can be used for more than just coffee. Like say, _hot cocoa_, for example?"

Snow's eyes lit up as she understood what Emma was saying. "Of course! Yes, I think that's a great idea."

Emma smiled back. "I found one for Henry, too. I think he'd like to have his own mug when he comes home for good and the weather gets colder, don't you?"

Snow's eyes lit up even more. "Definitely." Emma knew Snow wasn't just happy Emma had found a mug for Henry. She was happy Emma believed Henry would live with them again.

In the end, Ruby bought a whole pile of romance novels, the three mugs, and four pairs of pants and a few more shirts for David. They spent about $7. "Where should we go next?" Ruby asked Emma, who was still holding the newspaper.

Emma skimmed the paper, looking for other yard or garage sales. "There's one, but it's all the way out on the other side of town. We wouldn't be able to walk there and walk back in time to catch the bus…There's another one, but it says it has mostly baby items… Here's one that should be close by. But it doesn't say what they're selling. Do you guys want to check it out, anyway?"

"Sure," the others all replied.

So they set out for the next sale. It was located on a street just off the main road and the house was the third one in. Emma immediately found what she had been looking for all day: boy's clothes. She pounced on the baskets of clothes in excitement. The first basket had clothes that would be too small for Henry. But the second basket was perfect! Emma picked out several pairs of shorts for Henry, in brown, in green, and in black. Then she found some short sleeve shirts in grey, in blue, and green. She also found a pair of grey pants that would be nice for Henry when it became cooler.

Emma couldn't wait to see Henry's face this afternoon when she showed him all the new things she had bought him. New clothes, new books, and a mug for cocoa when the weather became chilly. Hopefully it would cheer him up while he had to be away from their family.

Emma looked up and saw the others were looking at a table, complete with chairs. "It's not very big, but we only need a table for five people," David was saying.

"It definitely needs to be washed, but I think I could handle that," Mar – _Snow_ added. Emma picked up the clothes she had chosen for Henry and went over to inspect the table.

"What do you think, Emma?" Snow asked, pointing to the table. Emma looked closely. Snow was right; it would need to be washed. She was pretty sure the table was supposed to be green, but it had so much muck on it, it didn't really look green. Still, it wouldn't be that hard to wash it. It also came with five chairs; enough for everyone in their family.

"It would be nice to have a table to eat at instead of eating at the counters," Emma commented, nodding. "But how would we get it back to the apartment? We certainly can't fit it on the bus!"

Snow shrugged. "I hadn't thought of that." The rest of the group stared at the table, pondering what to do.

A tall man with glasses stepped forward. "Are you folks interested in the table?"

Ruby nodded. "We are, but we don't have any way to get it home."

The man nodded. "I have a truck. Could I deliver it for you? It'll cost you an extra $20."

They pondered this. They had about $50 left and the table cost $15. An extra $20 for delivery would leave them with $15. Would it be worth it, to have a table, or should they wait until they could find on with a cheaper delivery? Finally they all nodded slowly. "Would you be willing to wait until around 5:00 or 6:00 PM? We have company coming this afternoon," Emma asked, not wanting the man delivering the table to get in the way of Henry's visit.

The man nodded. "Yeah, I guess I can do that. I'll just put a "sold" sticker on it for you." They nodded again.

Before they left, Emma also chose a pair of blue pants, in addition to the clothes she picked out for Henry. David also found a copy of _Sorry!_ which he thought they could all enjoy playing. Emma wasn't so sure, but she knew Henry would love it, so she agreed. They left the sale with only $4.

But they all agreed it was time to return to the bus stop anyway. So they began the walk back to the gas station.

OOOOOOOOOO

About an hour after they arrived home, that woman and, more importantly _Henry_ walked in the door. Emma ran to him immediately and hugged him fiercely. "How are you doing, Henry?" she asked after she finally let go. "Are they treating you okay in that…_foster home_?" Emma all but spat out the word. She still couldn't believe she had to let her son live in one of those. If they hurt him in any way…

Henry gave Emma his brave smile. "I'm okay, Mom. I'm doing my part in this fight."

Emma sighed. That was her Henry. But while she admired his bravery, she wanted to know how things _really were_ there. "I'm proud of you Henry…but I need to know. Are they hurting you there?"

Henry shook his head. "No, they're not. It's okay, Mom. Really." Emma looked over her son's body, trying to be discreet, checking for bruises, just in case. There were none. And Henry sounded honest when he said they weren't hurting him. Maybe he was okay.

Then Henry turned to David and Mary Margaret. "Gr –" he began. Then he stopped, seeming to remember that woman was still there, watching them in the background. "Aunt Mary Margaret!" he exclaimed instead, hugging her. She hugged her grandson back and David wrapped his arm around Henry as well.

"I'm glad to see you again, Henry," Mary Margaret told him.

"I found some things at some yard sales for you today, Henry" Emma announced, eager to see his face when she should him his new stuff.

"Here's some new clothes. You can take them back to the…foster home with you." Emma grumbled the word foster home.

Henry looked at them for a second, nodding. "They're nice Mom. Thanks." Henry was obviously like most boys. He understood clothes were necessary, but he didn't really get excited about them. Still he seemed appreciate Emma's gesture.

"And here are some detective books. You can take those back with you, too." Henry spent a few minutes looking at the books; evidently they interested him more than the clothes.

"I thought…since you enjoyed figuring everything out in Storybrooke, you might enjoy reading these," Emma explained as he skimmed a Sherlock Homes novel.

Henry looked up at her, looking confused. She had hoped Henry could figure out what she meant by himself; usually he could. Talking about their lives was very difficult with an outsider present. She couldn't very well explain about Operation Cobra and what it involved with that woman listening to everything Emma said!

"You know…how you knew what was happening in Storybrooke before anyone else. You put it all together, Henry. Like a detective."

Henry looked at her and beamed. "I did, didn't I?" He looked at his books with new interest.

The woman came up to Emma from the background. "So you seem to be interacting with your son well. I had Henry take his blood test this morning. Have you taken yours yet?"

Emma eyes widened in shock. With everything going on this past week including getting used to Henry's absence, helping her family get used to this new world, making sure they didn't say anything they shouldn't in public, making sure _she_ didn't say anything they shouldn't in public, and getting used to her mother's new job, Emma hadn't really thought about the blood test she was supposed to take. She slowly shook her head.

The woman sighed. "I can't recommend you for custody of Henry until you can prove you're his mother, Miss Swan. I suggest you get that blood test _soon_."

Emma nodded. She'd do that as soon as possible. Mary Margaret worked at the hospital now; she could go with her.

"So have you found a job yet?" the woman continued.

Emma sighed. This wasn't going well. She had thought she was doing so well, since Mary Margaret got a job and she found some things for Henry at the yard sale. But now…what if she'd couldn't get Henry back? "No, not yet. But I still have a lot of applications out," Emma promised. "I should hear from someone soon."

The woman looked at Emma, disappointed. "You should get your court date for the custody hearing mailed to you soon. I suggest you use this time to get your act together. I can tell you really care for your son, and he cares for you, as well as the people you're living with. But unless you can follow the rules and provide for him…he can't stay here."

Emma took a deep breath and reminded herself not to punch the woman. Henry was right to step in front of her last week. It wouldn't help. She thought of something else that might help her case.

"My…sister," Emma began gesturing to Mary Margaret, "got a job at the hospital recently. The money should help us get a bigger place." She had been calling Mary Margaret her roommate, but when she thought about it, it made more sense to call her a sister. Henry called her an "aunt," people were always telling her they looked alike, and it would show this woman they were _all_ Henry's family.

The woman's eyebrows rose. "Really? Your sister, huh?" She looked at Mary Margaret. Emma looked at Mary Margaret, pleading for her go along with this.

Fortunately, Mary Margaret had caught on and seemed to understand it was best to trust Emma's ideas now. "Yes, I'm her sister. Mary Margaret. Henry's close to me, too, as you can see."

The woman smiled positively and wrote something down. Maybe, just maybe…

But now that Henry was done looking at his new books, he seemed at loss what to do or say. Several times, he opened his mouth to say something to someone, only to close it again. Was Henry self – conscious about talking in front of a stranger? Was he worried about talking about…certain things in front of an outsider? Or was he still bothered by Regina's death and unsure how to act around his family? One thing was certain, that woman was watching them and she seemed to like it when Henry acted positively around his family. Would she use this awkwardness against them? Emma couldn't allow that!

She grabbed the copy of _Sorry!_ that David had found earlier. "Hey why don't we all play this? We bought this at the yard sales, too, Henry."

Henry's eyes lit up. "Great! I want to be blue!"

Ruby smiled and sat down as they spread out the game board. "I think I'll be red."

Mary Margaret smiled as well. "I can be green."

"And I'll be yellow." Emma looked over at David. "There's only four colors so…" She hated to leave him out; after all, buying the game was his idea. But what were they going to do if it was only a four player game?"

But Mary Margaret smiled. "He can share with me." David's eyes lit up as he sat down next to her. Emma rolled her eyes. Of course. Why didn't she think of that? But Henry seemed to love the idea of his grandparents sharing a color even more than the idea of all of them playing a game. So Emma let it go.

For the next two hours they played the game. They had so much fun, they forgot all about the woman in the background watching them. Finally the woman announced it was time for Henry to go. After a lot of hugs, Henry disappeared again, clutching his bag of detective novels. Emma also made sure he had his new clothes with him.

Emma sighed. At least it was a little easier to watch him leave than it was last time. He had some gifts that would remind him of Emma. And Henry said the foster family wasn't hurting him. Hopefully that would remain the case. But still…watching him disappear from her sight…Everything in Emma wanted to run back to Henry and take him away from that woman! She sighed.

Just as they had last Saturday, her parents wrapped their arms around Emma as she stared out the window. When Emma finally turned around, Mary Margaret grinned. "So I'm your sister, huh?"

Emma sighed. "Oh. About that. Look, I know you'd rather tell people who you _really_ are. You know that your my…um…mother. But in this world…no one would believe it. It's a lot easier to say we're sisters. That way we can still say we're family. People would believe that. After all we look a lot alike."

Mary Margaret smiled. "Don't worry. I think it's a good idea."

"Well, you can thank Henry for it, not me. I didn't get the idea until he called you "Aunt." He's pretty smart, you know." Emma's voice glowed with pride in her son.

"I'm getting that idea," David smiled as well. "But I think you're pretty smart yourself, Emma."

**I'd really be interested in what my readers think of these chapters, so I'd love some more reviews. Thanks for those who have already reviewed, followed, and favorited the story. **

**If you are interested, the outfit Snow bought at the yard sale was supposed to be similar to the one she wore in "Snow Fall" when she met Charming. Only it looked more street dress/modern and less furs Emma didn't know that because, in my mind, she didn't read her parents story.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

**Disclaimers: I don't own **_**Once Upon a Time**_**. Also this is a sequel to the original "Thicker than Water" written by La Lisboa.**

Emma took the bus to the hospital about mid – morning to do her blood test. She had thought about riding in with Mary – _Snow_, but her shift started at 8:00AM. That was a little early for Emma to get up and ready if she didn't have to. She was fine going in at 10:00 AM, instead.

She went in the main entrance and marched up to the front desk to ask where the lab was. The sooner she got this blood test taken care of, the sooner Henry could really be hers. She was directed to take the stairs down the hall, and then follow the arrows marked "laboratory."

As Emma made her way through the hospital, she thought about how strange it was that her mother had a job cleaning this place. Especially since she was Snow White, not Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret was a great schoolteacher, of course. But she kept a clean apartment and she was so cautious and quiet. Exactly how Emma always pictured a maid to be. But Snow White? She was strong and forceful. She was a princess. Emma knew her mother was just happy to have a job so she could help Emma get Henry back, and she was grateful. But still…it was really hard to picture Princess Snow White as a maid. The image of her in a ball gown, scrubbing floors and washing windows appeared in Emma's mind. Emma shook her head and chuckled.

After that image cleared from her mind, Emma paused to make sure she was still following the arrows so she could find the lab. Then she sighed. It occurred to her how little she really knew about her parents' past. Henry knew a lot more than she did, after all the time he spent reading their stories in his fairytale book. But Emma had never really bothered to read much of it. In the beginning, Emma hadn't believed in the Curse. As much as she knew the book was important to Henry, and she humored him about the Curse, she didn't want to spend too much time discussing it. After the Curse broke…well the first few weeks Emma and Snow had been stuck in the Enchanted Forest. Then, there had been so much going on, with Regina's framing, finding Neal/Balefire, and dealing with Cora, and then Tamara that Emma didn't have much time to breathe, much less read.

Emma paused again to find the arrows on the ground. She shook her head again. That wasn't the whole truth, actually. She did look over the book last year a little. She just didn't bother with her parents' story. As much as she learned to care…and even love them, reading their story was just too overwhelming. Seriously, Snow White and Prince Charming? How could she deal with that? Still, Snow's casual attitude about her job…it made Emma wonder. What was her parents' life like back in the Enchanted Forest? Emma knew the basics. They had problems with King George and Regina. Regina had forced her mother to hide in the forest in order to survive. Regina poisoned her mother with an apple. David woke her up and they "took back the kingdom" and set up residence in the castle Snow that showed Emma the ruins of. But what else? How did Snow White become so skilled with bows and arrows? What was David's childhood like? Maybe someday, she'd be brave enough to ask.

Emma finally reached the laboratory and marched right up to the desk. "I need to take a blood test. To prove I'm the biological mother of my son."

The woman at the desk nodded. She was an older woman, in her fifties, maybe with graying hair and glasses perched on the end of her nose. She handed Emma a form and a pen. "You need to fill this out. When you're done, give it back to me and someone will be right with you."

Emma began filling out basic information such as name, date of birth, and social security number. But when she got to payment, she stopped short. It said DNA tests were not covered by insurance (not that it mattered, since she didn't currently have health insurance). But the test cost $500! Where was she going to get that kind of money? Ruby didn't even have it! All of Ruby's pay checks had to be saved to pay the rent, and most of her tip money had to be saved for buying food and doing laundry. Furthermore, her cell phone bill was coming up. She had a little left over, but certainly not enough to pay $500!

Emma slammed her form on to the lady's desk, unfinished. "I can't do this, after all," she snapped at the woman. Then she left the hospital as fast as she could without running into anyone. It was official. She was never going to get Henry back. No one she knew had that kind of money, and that woman made it _very_ clear she couldn't win the custody fight without a DNA test.

Somehow, instead of going home, Emma ended up sitting down on a bench outside the hospital. The area was set up like a small park, with a few trees, many brightly colored flowers, and a stone walkway. She stared at the sky for what it seemed like hours, trying not to cry. Henry wasn't coming home. She couldn't do it. Maybe she'd do what she should have done to begin with. Take Henry back to the woods and simply live there. It would be better than forcing Henry to live with that…foster home forever!

But as Emma got up, she realized she had no idea where Henry's foster home was. She'd have to wait until Saturday to see him. She sat back down on the bench. Of course, taking Henry back to the woods with _that woman_ watching Emma's every move would be difficult, but she'd figure something out. Maybe she'd just punch the woman's lights out and take off.

As Emma continued think of ideas of how she could bring Henry with her to the forest again, her cell phone rang. She almost dropped it, she was so surprised. But instead, she answered the call. "Hello, Emma Swan," she said into the receiver.

"Hello, Miss Swan," replied an unfamiliar voice. "This is the Chief of the Hampden Police Department. Are you still interested in a job with the Hampden PD?"

Emma's mouth dropped open. Here she was, preparing to run away like a criminal, and the police department still wanted to hire her? "Yes, of course, I'm interested," she replied after a few seconds.

"Okay," replied the police chief. "In that case, we'd like you to come down to the station for an interview tomorrow at 11:00AM."

"Of course," Emma agreed happily. Then she paused for a minute. The Hampden Police Department. Wasn't that the department that didn't think she could do the job just because she was a woman? "No disrespect or anything," Emma began. "But didn't you make it perfectly clear you didn't think I could join your department because of my gender? If you still believe that, I'm not going to waste my time coming down for an interview."

The man on the other end sighed. "That's true. I did. And I'm still not used to hiring females. But the truth is… your attitude about how you could do the job impressed me, Miss Swan. I need officers that aren't afraid to take any junk."

Emma nodded. "Okay then. I'll see you tomorrow." Then she hung up her phone. Things had definitely improved today. If she got a job at the police department, it would really impress the social worker. It would also help their family afford a bigger place. Could she possibly earn enough money to take the blood test herself? She smiled. She couldn't wait to tell Mary Margaret, or Snow or whatever.

Then Emma stopped short at that thought. Was that why she had stayed at the park? So she could talk to her mother? It certainly wasn't because of the scenery! Emma had been planning on living in the woods to keep Henry, but actually…outdoors, trees, flowers, it wasn't really her thing. Emma sighed. She had stayed so she could have comfort from her mother. She smiled. Snow would love to hear that. But now she could share something even better: great news. Emma was on her way to getting a job.

Now as Emma sat on the bench, she thought about how different her meeting with _that woman_ would go this Saturday, especially if she did get a job. Emma would tell her she not only had a job, but a steady income. That income could be used to find a bigger apartment and pay for her blood test, as well as taking care of Henry. Mary Margaret was considered family now, and not just a roommate (she silently thanked her son for that idea), so Henry had a lot of family living with them. And it was obvious to anyone how much Henry adored David.

Suddenly Emma's thoughts stopped. David. Since she told the social worker Mary Margaret was Emma's sister, the woman would be looking into her background thoroughly, just as she had Emma's. She would soon realize Mary Margaret Blanchard wasn't married. And it was clear to anyone that Mary Margaret and David were in a relationship. Emma knew enough about foster care to know that a social worker would _never _place a child with a couple that wasn't married. Her parents were going to have to get married again. Soon.

Finally, Mary Margaret walked out the hospital, obviously heading right for the bus stop. Would she even notice Emma? But to her surprise, Mary Margaret's eyes landed on Emma's within a couple of minutes and she ran over, smiling. "Hi, Emma! Is it your turn to ride home with me?"

Emma wasn't sure what Mary Margaret was talking about. But it didn't really matter. "I came to the hospital to get that blood test the social worker wanted me to do. You know, to prove I'm Henry's biological mother." Mary Margaret nodded. "But I found out I can't do that today because it costs $500. Ruby doesn't even have that money to give me in a week. So I was pretty upset for a while about that –"

Mary Margaret cut her off. "There has to be _some_ way we can get you the money, Emma. Maybe if we talk to Granny and the dwarves; they could pool their money together for you. We will get Henry back; don't worry."

Emma nodded, smiling as well. "That's actually not a bad idea. But while I was waiting, I got a call from the Hampden Police Department. They want me to come over for an interview tomorrow! I could have my own job soon. Maybe I'll even be able to pay for the blood test myself!" Emma eyes gleamed with excitement at that prospect.

Mary Margaret leaned over and gave her a hug. Emma felt slightly uncomfortable with that; after all they were still in public. But she let Mary Margaret do it anyway. Then they began walking to the bus stop. "Wait. The _Hampden Police Department_? Wasn't that the one that didn't think you could do the job because you're a woman?"

Emma nodded as they walked. "Yeah. I asked him about that. He said he doesn't usually hire women. But I impressed him when I made it clear I'd didn't care for chauvinists. He said he needed people that could…stand up against other people, I guess." Emma shrugged.

Mary Margaret smiled. "I found some knights were like that back in our land. They didn't think I could fight, but when I made it clear I could…they had a lot of respect for that."

Emma was about to ask more about that; she had decided she wanted to learn more about her parents' past, after all. But just then the bus drove up, and Emma closed her mouth. They couldn't talk about that in public.

XXXXXXXXXX

David was skimming the newspaper, looking for new job openings while Red was busy with one of her new books. He was a little concerned that Emma hadn't returned yet. She had left three hours ago to take that blood test. But surely she'd be finished with that by now. So where was Emma? Still, if she was really in trouble, she'd signal him with that communication device, right? Besides, Snow would be home soon. Maybe Emma would return with her. If she didn't, David would talk to Snow about looking for Emma.

He sighed. There didn't seem to be any new job openings today. Just then, Emma and Snow walked in. David broke into a wide smile. He was right! They were together. Emma was fine.

Or at least, he thought Emma was fine. The expression on her face was hard to read, especially since he unfortunately hadn't known Emma that long. She marched right in front of him and announced, "You guys are going to have to get married again."

David had _no _idea where that idea was coming from. From the look on her face, neither did Snow. "What?" he asked Emma. Snow just stared blankly at Emma.

"Look, I know you're married. And you," Emma pointed to him and Snow, "know you're married. But in this world, your identities are not…Snow White and Prince Charming. They're David Nolan and Mary Margaret Blanchard. And _those_ identities aren't married."

David nodded, beginning to understand. He certainly didn't want others thinking Snow wasn't his wife. "Okay. That makes sense," Snow also agreed.

"Not only that," Emma continued. "But since I told _that woman_, the social worker that…Mary Margaret was my sister, she'll be looking more thoroughly into her background."

Snow looked confused. "What's wrong with my background? I thought you said know one in this world would be able to tell who we really were?"

Emma nodded. "They won't. She'll only look in your background as Mary Margaret Blanchard. But she _will_ find out that Mary Margaret wasn't married. And that will make her question," Emma look at David, "why he's living here. It could lead to problems with Henry living with us again."

David eyes widened. He knew how important winning the fight about Henry was to Emma.

Snow nodded as well. "Don't worry, Emma. We'll do anything to help you get Henry back."

Emma looked immensely relieved. Did she really think they would have a problem with her request? "Okay, then let's go get a marriage license from city hall."

Red came in from the next room. "Okay, I overheard a little bit. I think you guys getting married again is a great idea. But how will we afford it? A wedding is costly. And with only two of us working right now..." Red shrugged uncertainly.

David shrugged. "I'm sure we'll figure out something. Emma says we need to do this to get Henry back. And I don't want to live in a world where I'm not married to Snow, anyway." His wife smiled at him at that comment.

Emma flipped her hand, indicating Red's concern wasn't an issue. "We don't have to have a big wedding, anyway. Just file a marriage license and ask a judge to perform the ceremony. It will cost _something_, yes, but nothing we can't handle. Especially since I may be getting a job soon. More about that later. Can we go down to city hall now and get this taken care of?"

They all marched down to the familiar bus station and quickly boarded a bus that would take them to Bangor City Hall. As soon as they arrived, they realized it would be a rather long wait, as the line went all across the room. Emma groaned. David had realized that Emma had a lot of Snow's impatience in her. Fortunately, he was used dealing with impatient women and knew how to handle them. "Emma," he whispered as they stood in the line. "Didn't you say you might have a job soon? What kind of job is it?

Emma nodded; looking a little surprised David appeared so interested in her life. It made David sad. Life had treated his daughter harshly. David knew that would be the case when Henry had told him he put Emma in the wardrobe _by herself_. But moments like these, showed David just how hard her life really had been. Was it really that hard to believe someone was interested in Emma's life and what she did with it?

Emma remained lost in thought for a couple of minutes. Finally, Snow's patience obviously won out. "Emma?" she asked softly, bringing Emma's mind back to the present. "David asked you what kind of job?"

Emma chuckled. "I know. I was just thinking about…some things." She didn't say what, but the way she said it indicated it had to do with things they agreed not to talk about in public. "Anyway, I might be getting a job in law enforcement. I got a call from the Hampden Police Department today. They want me to come in for an interview tomorrow."

"That's great," David replied, his eyes lighting up. "More than great, actually. Didn't you say that law enforcement was 'your place'?" This was wonderful news! His daughter may not just have a job to help her get Henry back, but one of the jobs she had said _really_ fit her.

"Can I ask you a question, though?" David asked, remembering something. "While we were…separated," David began slowly, approaching this topic carefully. He to make sure he didn't say too much in public about the time after Storybrooke blew up. "Henry told me you used to be a bounty hunter. Why don't you do that again?" The others nodded, interested in her answer as well.

Emma smiled at David and the others. She was obviously enjoying having people interested in her. It was wonderful to see. "Because being a bounty hunter is a job that requires you to travel a lot, chasing the runaway criminals all over the place. That's not a job I want if I'm going to do the job that's most important to me right now: being Henry's mom. And they'd never let me have Henry back if I went back to bounty hunting, anyway. Because of what I just said. But I might be able to use my background as bounty hunter to _get_ the job at the police department, if I'm lucky." She shrugged. "That's how I got the deputy's job in Storybrooke."

"I know you'll get that job, Emma. And you'll be great at it," David assured her. He made it clear he was talking about both jobs that were important to Emma: The job in the police department and being Henry's mom.

Snow looked at the line. "We're next." They stepped up to the desk.

"We need to file for a marriage license, please," Emma told the woman behind the desk. At the woman's confused look, she added, "They're planning on getting married." She pointed to David and Snow.

The woman, who looked to be about David's mother's age right before she died, smiled back at them in understanding. "You need to fill out this form." She handed them a sheet of paper that said "Application for a Marriage License." "When it's finished, return it here along with thirty dollars, in cash or check. I'll give you the license when you're done." David and the others nodded. That didn't sound too hard, although he had to wonder why this world seemed so obsessed with paperwork. Seriously, he needed permission to marry a woman he was already married to? It made no sense. But Emma said it was necessary and David trusted his daughter.

The group gathered around a small table in the office to fill out the form. He and Snow both filled out their names in this world; that was easy enough. But…date of birth? How did that work? "Do you know the answer for this?" David whispered to Emma, confused. "I was born on…well, I won't say it here, but it probably doesn't make sense in this world."

Snow nodded in agreement.

Emma looked around to make sure no one was paying attention. Then she discretely pulled the picture Snow kept in her bag out. "The date you were supposed to be born would be on this." Snow found the number and wrote it down. David nodded, remembering he had one of those pictures as well. He found the number that was listed as his date of birth and wrote that down as well. Interesting. According to his picture, he was thirty – one years old.

He and Snow continued taking turns filling out the form. Some of the questions David found to be pretty intrusive. Seriously, whose business was it whether he had been married before? But he hadn't, so it didn't really matter. But as he started on that question, Emma stopped him. "Actually…you're going to have to say yes to that question." David couldn't have been more shocked if he had been told his face was bright blue. What was Emma talking about? How could he have been married before?

As he started to ask (Snow seemed pretty interested in that question as well), Emma shook her head. "I'll explain later, with less prying ears," she whispered. "Right now all you need to know is that David _was_ married before, and his divorce date was April 23, 2012." David grumbled and wrote that down. But seriously, he was married before? To someone who wasn't Snow? How was that possible and why didn't he remember it? Why would he _ever_ marry anyone else?

"You," Emma pointed at Snow, "weren't married before, so you're fine." Well, that was good to know. It made it a little less complicated that Snow hadn't married anyone else. Among other things, David didn't have to worry about punching some other guy for doing…who knows what with his wife! Although from the look on Snow's face…some other woman may be getting punched soon. Why would he ever marry someone else? He shook his head in bewilderment.

They finally finished the form and got back in the line. Fortunately it was a lot shorter this time, so it only took a few minutes to get up to the front. They handed the woman the form, along with Red's thirty dollars. The woman smiled and nodded. She moved her fingers on something and then handed them _another_ form. "This is the marriage license. You'll have to wait at least three weeks between today and when you have the ceremony performed. This," she pointed to one space, "is where the officiator will sign. You'll also need at least two witnesses for your marriage ceremony. They don't have to be eighteen but they do need to be old enough to understand what they are witnessing. This," she pointed to two spaces at the bottom of the piece of paper, "is where the witnesses sign." Do you understand?" No actually, David didn't understand. He didn't understand why this paperwork was necessary. He didn't understand how he possibly could have been married to anyone else. And he didn't understand why he had to wait three weeks to marry Snow, especially considering he was already married to her!

But that wasn't what the woman was asking. She meant did they understand how to fill out the form in order to get married. So he said, "Yes."

"Yeah, I understand," Snow added as well, nodding.

"Okay," said the woman behind the desk. "Then you're all set."

They all left for home. As soon as they arrived David hoped Emma would explain more.

After they all entered the apartment, Snow looked at Emma and said, "Well? Start talking. How could David have married someone else? And why didn't we know about it?" David put his hands on her, trying to calm her down. She was impatient, as always. But he hoped she remembered not take this situation out on Emma.

Snow smiled at him, and then turned back to Emma. "Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you. This is just…I mean…" her voice trailed off, apparently unable to form words of how she felt about this situation. David certainly didn't blame her. He couldn't figure out the right emotions, either.

Emma sighed. "It's okay." She took a deep breath and began. "Okay, so you know that Storybrooke was under Regina's Curse for twenty – eight years, right?"

They all nodded.

"So Regina gave you all fake memories of your lives," Emma continued.

They all nodded again. "So Regina gave Charming a different wife for twenty – eight years?" Snow asked, appalled. David wasn't thrilled about it either. It's too bad Regina was already dead. He'd like to kill her for making him spend twenty – eight years with a different wife! He reminded himself that Regina had regretted what she did before she died. Still, it was hard to remember that the more he was told about this Curse Regina had cast.

But Emma shook her head. "Actually…no, not really. David was injured…just before the Curse hit. He spent twenty – eight years in a coma in Storybrooke." They all nodded, indicating Emma should continue. "But when he woke up…that's when Regina gave him a different wife. And fake memories of a life with…that wife." Emma looked at the floor. She didn't appear to be enjoying talking about this anymore than they enjoyed hearing about it.

David decided to end this conversation now. Emma had told them enough. "Well, at least I ended the marriage, eventually," he commented, trying to look at the bright side.

Red nodded. "That's the important thing," she agreed.

Emma nodded. "Sure," she replied, carefully. It was obvious she was leaving something out, but David told himself it didn't matter.

"Who was this…other wife?" Snow asked, sounding a little possessive. She put her hands around him, as if she was trying to stake her claim. David smiled at Snow, showing her attitude didn't bother him. He actually thought it was cute.

"Her name was Kathryn in Storybrooke. I don't know who her name was in your world." Emma shrugged. "So we need to find a judge that could perform the ceremony in at least three weeks," she continued, getting them back to what was important. She picked up the phonebook and began skimming its pages.

The others nodded. "We should try to find a time when Henry is able to come, too," David commented as the thought occurred to him. He wanted to make sure his grandson still felt like a part of the family even though Henry wasn't living with them right now.

"Of course," the others agreed.

Emma stopped skimming through the phone book as she obviously realized something. "Oh! David…I know this should be up to you…but do you think maybe Henry could be one of the witnesses?" She held up the marriage license and pointed to the spot for witnesses to sign. "It really would mean a lot to him. He…ah…puts a lot of value on you guys and your relationship."

David nodded immediately. That was a wonderful idea! "Definitely," he replied. Snow nodded as well, her eyes lighting up as she did so.

"We'd have to take him shopping this weekend," Emma continued. "He'd need at least some dressier pants to wear to a wedding. I'll have to talk to the social worker about that."

Snow nodded. "It might be a good idea for us to look at some dresses, too," she commented, gesturing to the two other women in the group.

Emma made a face. Apparently she didn't like dressing up very much. Still, she nodded. "I suppose so. We should get you guys some rings, anyway."

David couldn't hide the disappointment on his face. What was wrong with the ring Snow already had? It was his _mother's ring_. It was how he had met his Snow.

Snow shook her head. "No. I'll go along with what we need to do for this wedding, Emma, but I'm not changing rings. This one," she twirled the ring on her finger. "It means too much." David's heart soared at his wife's words. That ring meant as much to her as it did to him.

Emma smiled at them. "Don't worry about that. You can keep wearing that ring if you want. The rings I was talking about getting are called wedding bands. They're plain gold, and they're used in the modern wedding ceremony. A lot of people wear them afterwards, too…to prove that they're married."

They shrugged. "That doesn't sound so bad, then," David commented, grinning. Snow smiled as well as Red.

Snow looked at Red, "I'll be getting my first pay check from the hospital soon, so I'll pay for the shopping this time. You shouldn't have to pay for _everything_ anymore."

"Okay," Red replied, nodding.

Emma went back to skimming through the phone book, trying to find some judges they could call that would marry them. Finally she found the page. They spent the next twenty minutes trying to find a judge that would be willing to marry David and Snow on a Saturday (when Henry would be with them). But no judges were willing to work on a Saturday. Emma mentioned a pastor could do it on a Saturday, but they probably wouldn't be willing to perform the ceremony within a few weeks. And that meant they could have trouble getting Henry back if Snow and David weren't married by their hearing. A wedding at a church would cost a lot more, anyway. So that was out.

Finally, they settled on a Judge that would be willing to marry them (again) on Friday, September 14, at 4:30 in the afternoon. Emma was just going to have to make the social worker see reason. It was _very important_ that Henry be able to attend this wedding, both to them and to him. Could Henry be allowed to come on Friday afternoon, just that one time? David knew Emma could do it. Emma was like him. She was very determined when there was something she wanted or needed. She could even reason with the woman who had taken her child.

The Judge's name was Sinclair and his court was in Brewer. It wasn't that far; only the next town over. He seemed very friendly. David was happy such a nice man would be marring him and Snow in this world. He even asked if he and Snow wanted to write their own wedding vows. David and Snow decided they'd like to almost immediately. There were so many things he'd like to say to Snow in vows that made sense only to the two of them. From the look on her face as they discussed it, she felt the same way.

Emma finally got off her phone, smiling. "It's okay! Henry can come to the wedding. I even got her to agree to let us take him shopping this Saturday. They're going to meet us in front of the Wal – Mart."

David, Snow, and Red beamed. "That's great Emma." David would've liked to give his daughter a hug, but he wasn't sure how she'd respond. It would be better, he figured, if she initiated the physical contact. So he settled for words. "I'm proud of you for reasoning with her. I know she's not a woman you like to deal with."

Emma smiled back. "Yeah. I don't. Thanks."

Red looked at the time. "I have to get to the restaurant. Se you guys later." They all nodded, trying not to think about what went on the place where Red worked.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Snow had called the dwarves after dinner. After all, Snow couldn't get married again without her brothers in attendance. They (and Granny) agreed to come immediately. So Snow was in a great mood that night. So was David, actually. There was plenty to be excited about. Emma had a job interview for a position she really wanted, he and Snow were going to marry and celebrate their love again, and all of their family was going to attend.

When they retired to their bedroom that night, Snow smiled slyly at him. "How are the burns?"

David smiled and shrugged, having a good idea where she was going with this. "I don't feel anything anymore. I think they're all gone."

"Let me see," Snow replied, taking off his shirt and then his bandages. Her smile grew even bigger at what she found. "You're all set, Charming." To double check, she ran her hands over the scar tissue, watching his face.

David would have pretended he was healed if he needed to, with what she obviously had in mind. But in reality, he didn't need to. His chest didn't hurt at all anymore. At least, not that kind of pain anyway. When Snow saw he really was okay, she grinned, her face full of mischief. Then she pushed him on their air mattress and jumped on top of him.

He laughed as he wrapped his arms around Snow. "Mmmhhhhmmm, I love it when you get aggressive." He crushed his lips against hers. They both began kissing and hands roamed for a couple of minutes.

Then Snow removed her lips from his and began planting kisses on the new scars on his chest. David meanwhile, attempted to take off her shirt. After a few minutes however, David noticed a change in his wife's enthusiasm. She was still kissing him…but it was like her mind was elsewhere. He quickly finished taking off her shirt, then he looked into her eyes. "Snow, what is it?"

She shrugged and looked away from him. "Nothing." Then she gave him another kiss, a little rougher this time.

He sighed. Her kiss was a little possessive, so he was beginning to have an idea what was upsetting her. But he still had to make sure. "Snow, tell me what's bothering you." He stroked her cheek.

She sighed and put her head on his chest. "It's silly….It's just…it occurred to me…since Emma said you were married to someone else during the Curse…that you probably…did this with someone else too."

He sighed, understanding why that would bother her. He ran his hand up and down her arm as he spoke. "Yeah. I suppose so. But that doesn't mean I loved her. I divorced her, too, remember? Sex can be just that: a physical act. Or it can be what we have: making love. I love you, Snow."

She smiled up at him, with her head still on his chest. "I love you, Charming."

He looked at her tenderly. "See, that's the difference. Now don't worry about that any more. It's not important. _This_ is what's important." He pulled her face up to his and kissed her, long and deep as his hands worked on unfastening her bra.

"Mmmmhhhhhhmmm," Snow moaned as he continued kissing her and rubbing his hands over her breasts. "You're right," she agreed as they finally broke the kiss. She began undoing the fastener on his pants. "This is what's important."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOO

Unfortunately for Emma, her interview for the Hampden Police department was at 11:00AM, but the buses only went to Hampden three times a day. Those times were 8:00AM, 12:00PM, and 5:00PM. So in order for her to be on time for interview, Emma had to get up a little earlier than she was used to, ride the bus, and then hang around the town for three hours. It was very thrilling. Or not, actually.

But Emma knew how important this interview was to her future. If this interview went well, she might be able to get the job. And the job could help her get Henry back permanently. It could also help her family with the finances. Finally, if Emma could get a job in law enforcement, she could help protect people,

as she had in Storybrooke. It was, as she had told David, a job that really fit her.

So Emma grumbled as she got up at 7:00AM that morning, searching for the coffee. After she managed to drink a cup, she quickly ate a bowl of cornflakes and put on a nice pair of grey pants that she had found at the yard sales the other day, as well as a blue blouse.

Her parents and Red wished her luck on her interview and Emma was off. She was dropped off at the gas station that her and her family was picked up at a week and half ago.

OOOOOOOOOO

About two hours later, it was finally time for Emma to walk up to the Hampden Police department. She folded the newspaper and put in her purse. She wasn't entirely sure what some of the articles were about, since she had been so busy thinking about her interview. Maybe she'd read it in a while.

She arrived at the police department about a half an hour later. "Hello," she said as she walked in. "I'm Emma. Emma Swan.

The man at the desk was the same guy who had given her a hard time before because she was a woman. She took a deep breath. The man had told her on the phone he was okay with that. She walked confidently over to him. "Hello, Emma. Thank you for coming in. I'm Charles Winslow; the Police Chief here." He held out his hand.

He certainly seemed civil enough now. Emma smiled slowly and shook his hand. "Let's go into the next room," he told her getting up and pointing to the door behind him. Emma nodded. As they sat down at in an interview room, the police chief looked at her squarely in the eye. "I have to warn you before we get started that as a requirement for this job, you will have to take a polygraph test. What we'll do is ask you a series of questions. Then we'll hook you up to the polygraph and ask you the same questions. It is imperative that you not lie on _anything._ Do you understand?"

Emma gulped. Getting her job as a bounty hunter had been much easier. All she had to do was prove she was able to find the criminals and was physically able to capture them. Getting this job would be a lot more difficult. What if they asked her about her troubled past? What if they asked her about her family or Storybrooke? How could she tell the truth about those things? For a second she considered forgetting about this job and getting in touch with the bounty hunters again. They had made it clear she could come back to them any time she wanted. Then she remembered Henry. For his sake, she had to try everything she could to get this job, or one with another police force. So she looked at the police chief in the eye and replied, "Yes. I understand."

"Okay. Then let's begin. Have you ever been in trouble with the law before?"

Emma gulped. This was exactly what she was hoping he wouldn't ask. If she said "yes," they probably wouldn't hire her. If she said "no", they would know she was lying when they used the polygraph. Still, maybe if she explained the circumstances, the man would be okay with it. "Yes. Once was when I was a minor. I got myself involved with…stealing some watches…for a friend of mine." Emma was trying not to think about that too much. She had tried to burry Neal and jail in her mind for years because it wasn't a time she was proud of. Now she was trying to burry Neal in her mind for different reasons.

The police chief nodded, showing no emotion. Should she mention the time she was arrested in Storybrooke, too? It wasn't as if it was a real arrest. But the polygraph… "And about two years ago, I was arrested in a town called Storybrooke. It was only a small crime, though, and I was set up." The police chief nodded again, still showing no emotion.

"Okay. Moving on…I understand from your resume that you used to be in the bail bonds business?"

Emma nodded. "That's correct."

"You help apprehend a lot of runaway criminals?" he continued.

Emma nodded again. "Yes," she replied confidently.

"What methods did you use?"

Emma shrugged. "A combination of putting pieces together to figure out where they were, undercover work, and physical force."

The police chief nodded and again showed no emotion, although he wrote something down. "Why did you quit the business? It would seem to me that job would be more exciting for you than being a police officer in a small town, not to mention easier to go back to."

"I quit because I wanted to spend more time with my son. And that's why I don't want to go back to it, either, even though it would be more exciting and easier to back to. That's not a good job for a mother, much less a single mother. I need a job where I don't have to travel all the time."

The police chief nodded again, writing something down. "Some of this job requires you to work night shifts. Would you be able to do that, since you have a son?"

Emma nodded. "I don't see a problem with that. I live with several other…roommates, who would still be with him." She and Mary Margaret had agreed to be sisters in this world, but if she called her that when she had to take a polygraph test, it could be a disaster. Best stick with "roommates" for now. "And my son is twelve years old now. He's quite mature. He could stay home alone for a couple of hours if he needed to."

The police chief nodded and wrote something down again, although he still showed no emotion. "Most of my officers today have four – year degrees. Why do you expect to get this job with no college experience at all?

Emma bit her lip, hoping she was discrete about it. She supposed it was a good question. But she couldn't show any nervousness, or she'd never get the job. "I may not have formal education, but I have a lot of experience in law enforcement. I worked for the bail bonds department, as you have already stated. I was a deputy's sheriff and then a full sheriff in Storybrooke for a about a year and a half. I was even able to use my…problems in the past to help some kids from making the same mistakes I did. I used my experience to apprehend a lot criminals, keep order, and protect innocent people." As Emma talked she thought about a lot of the criminals she helped apprehend as a bounty hunter and as a sheriff. She thought of the kids she helped, especially the Zimmers. (or should she say Hansel and Gretel?) If she got this job, she could do that again.

The chief of police nodded. "Okay, let's talk about the jobs in this Storybrooke. How were you able to get a job like a deputy sheriff and full sheriff with no college degree?"

Emma sighed. That was a complicated question. She had a feeling that part of the reason why she got the deputy's job was because Graham didn't really support Regina, even though he didn't think about it that way consciously. Still, there was an official answer to that question. "It was a small town, so there weren't many other people interested in law enforcement. There also weren't that many newcomers coming in." Actually, there were no newcomers in twenty – eight years except her. "I was the only one with any background in law enforcement at all when the sheriff offered me the deputy job. He had no deputy before that."

The police chief nodded and wrote something down. His face showed no emotion. "And about the sheriff's job? How did that happened?"

Emma sighed. Thinking about this still made her a little sad, although she had gotten over it a long time ago. "The sheriff died and the town elected me to replace him," she replied, giving the man the short answer.

The chief of police nodded again. "That brings me to why you left this Storybrooke. If you had a good, stable job in law enforcement there, why did you leave? Especially since you had a higher rank there than you would here?"

Emma looked at the ground for a second. As weird as Storybrooke could be, she would have rather stayed there. Her family was a lot more at home there. More importantly, Henry's custody wouldn't be an issue. But they didn't have a choice. Still, how could she explain this to a man who didn't understand magic? Especially since she couldn't answer these questions with even a little white lie? "Storybrooke was destroyed in an explosion, so we all had to leave," she answered, simply looking right in his eyes. Hopefully that was enough for the man.

The man nodded again. "Okay. That's all the questions I have. Now I'm going to hook you up to the polygraph and ask the same questions." He disappeared for a second and returned with a polygraph machine. Then he hooked it up to Emma's wrist. "Do you know how this works? I'm going to ask you two questions which you'll say yes to calibrate the machine, and then we'll begin." Emma nodded. "Is your name Emma Swan?"

"Yes," Emma replied calmly. The polygraph beeped and moved steadily as it measured her heart rate.

"Are you also the President of the United States?"

"Yes," Emma replied. The polygraph beeped excessively and moved all over the page as it measured her heart rate.

"Okay. No let's begin." Emma took a deep breath and reminded herself she was fine as long as she didn't tell any lies. He asked her the same questions he had before, and easily passed the polygraph test. "Thank you, Miss Swan. I'll let you know about the job later in the week."

"Thank you Chief," Emma replied shaking the man's hand. Hopefully she had impressed the chief enough for him to consider her for the job. It was kind of hard to tell, since he showed no emotion one way or the other during the entire interview.

**So was that enough Snowing romance for you? **

**Guest - what did you think of Snow's revelation that she and David weren't married and David had been married before? Did it meet your expectations?**

**Thank you so much for those who have followed/favorite this story. I would love to have some more reviews as well.**

**And thanks to Angel68104 for following me as an author. I hope you enjoy the rest of my stories as well.**

**Also, if any of you have questions about the story, feel free to ask. You can do so with reviews or PMs.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Once Upon a Time.**_** Also, this is a sequel to the original "Thicker than Water" which was written by La Lisboa.**

**Warring: There will be some violence in this chapter. **

Emma and David had the apartment to themselves that Wednesday morning since Snow was working at the hospital and Red had left to pay her cell phone bill. Emma was more used to living without Henry (even though she still missed him like crazy) and she was in a better mood because her interview had gone well the day Emma had decided she wouldn't spend all of her free time in her room. Instead she sat at the kitchen table ( it was really the only place they had to sit) and actually had a conversation with David.

"So your interview went really well yesterday?" David was asking her.

Emma shrugged. She had told them as much last night at dinner. "I guess. The police chief was pretty tough, and he didn't show any emotion either way. But I thought my answers were pretty good."

"I'm sure they were great, Emma," David replied, confidently as ever. But then he continued, "What questions did he ask you? How did you respond?" Emma couldn't get over how interested David seemed to be in her interview. Of course, it was important to Emma, so she supposed it should be important to him, too. It was just so surprising that someone was that interested in her life. Even in Storybrooke he didn't ask that many questions. Of course, that could be because David usually did everything with her, being her deputy and all.

"Well," Emma finally replied, looking back up at him. "He asked me why I quit the bounty hunter business. I told him the same thing I told you. Because Henry was more important and I couldn't be a good mother with a job like that." David smiled proudly at Emma at that statement. "He asked me why I should get the job without any college experience," Emma continued. But as David stared at her blankly, she realized he didn't know what college was.

"College is…more schooling…after regular education is finished. Most advanced jobs including teaching, banking - that's money – handling -, and doctoring require college education in this world. I never went because college cost a lot of money. The bounty hunters didn't care so much because I only needed to deliver the criminals, and I was never hired on a permanent base."

David nodded. "This world sounds more and more complicated the longer I'm here. But I'm sorry you never got to go to this "college" just because you didn't have enough money."

Emma shrugged. "It was never important to me when I was younger. I got what I needed in any way possible, you know? I didn't need formal higher education to succeed. Now…I don't know. Maybe I should have found a way to go to college. If it could help me get the job…"

David nodded in understanding. "I'm sure you had an answer for the…what did you call him?"

"Police chief."

"Right. I'm sure you told the police chief why you should get the job anyway, though." David commented his voice full of confidence again.

Emma shrugged again. "Yeah. I told him that I had more experience with criminals than most of the applicants probably did. And…I also…kind of told him I could help kids from making mistakes." She really hoped David didn't ask too much about that last detail. Her past trouble with the law wasn't something she still wasn't willing to share with him. He was so proud of her right now. How could he be proud of her if he knew she had been a criminal herself when she was younger? Especially since it was something she was still ashamed of?

But David simply smiled at her again, nodding. "Sounds like a good answer to me." He paused for a second. "Hopefully, I'll get a job soon, too. Then we can start looking for a bigger place."

Emma nodded. "Is there anything in particular you're looking for? I know you're used to being a…leader, but like I said, you'd have to wait a while for people to know you before you could do that."

David shrugged. "I'd be willing to do _anything_ to help our family, Emma," he said clearly, looking right into Emma's eyes so she understood how serious he was. Emma wondered if Snow had told him about her concerns with Snow being a maid. "And as far as being a leader, you're probably right. I'd need to be more acquainted with this world and its people before I could do that. I might do it someday, though. There are certainly some laws in this world that need readjustment."

Emma nodded, knowing exactly what he meant.

David continued, "What I'd _really_ like to do for a while is what I did as a child. Farming and taking care of livestock. But I haven't seen any jobs like that in the newspaper." He shrugged. "It's okay. Like I said, I'll take any job that helps this family."

Emma nodded, staring at David blankly. He took care of livestock as a child? She had always pictured her father as a prince, or at least a noble, dressing in fancy clothes, eating formal dinners, and a house full of servants. Again Emma remembered Henry had told her David had switched places with his twin brother, James, who was raised as a prince. Still, it was another reminder of how little Emma really knew about her parents. She remembered her decision a couple of days ago to start asking them about their lives in the Enchanted Forest. Here was her chance to start. She took a deep breath and asked, "What do you mean? What kind of livestock did you take care of?"

David beamed at her, obviously pleased that Emma wanted to know more about his life. "Sheep. My father died when I was pretty young, younger than Henry, actually. So for most of my life it was just me and my mother birthing the sheep, raising them, and shearing them. We'd use their milk sometimes, too, though, because cow's milk was hard to come by. Of course, there were also the less flattering parts like cleaning up the sheep dung, too." David's voice showed he remembered this life fondly.

Still…David was a shepherd for most of his life? It was quite a contrast to the life Emma had assumed he'd had But it explained a lot. His patience and his willingness to let Emma approach _him_, for one thing. And if he was raised mostly by his mother, it might explain why David was so comfortable around women and expressed feelings easier than most men did. (Certainly more easily than Emma did.) It also gave Emma a new appreciation for David's leadership skills. Despite his lack of experience as a child, he _was_ an excellent leader.

"I remember one lamb that was born when we had a late spring," David continued with his childhood memories as a shepherd. "She was kind of small and it was still so cold…I didn't know how she could make it. But my mother…she _knew_ there just had to be a way to save this lamb. She wrapped it up in one of our old wool blankets from last year. She built a small fireplace inside the barn so the lamb could stay warm all night. My mother and I watch over it all the time. She knew when to comfort it and hold it close, and when we should watch it from a distance. And it was like…this lamb began to realize it had to live because…someone cared about it so much, you know?" He smiled at her.

Emma nodded, still not speaking. She couldn't help but notice the parallels between this little lamb David was discussing and herself. There were times Emma wasn't sure she make it through her life, especially now, with Henry missing. But her parents loved her enough to make it possible. Apparently David learned a lot about life and taking care of people by taking care of sheep. She also couldn't help but notice it was David's mother, not David himself who believed the lamb could be saved. David was ordinarily so optimistic, so it was hard to believe there was a time he wasn't. It must have been a trait he had learned from his mother. Maybe there was hope for Emma to learn some optimism, too.

OOOOOOOOOOO

That afternoon, Emma received something in the mail from the State of Maine Social Services. She opened it right away. After all, it probably had something to do with Henry, right? She began to read:

_Dear Miss Swan,_

_ The Hearing to decide the custody of Henry Mills will be held Friday, September 27, at 12:00PM, at the Bangor City Court. Judge Quincy will preside. You will appear at this court at the appointed time, or it will be assumed you do not want custody of the child._

_If you wish, you may consult a lawyer to assist your case. You may also ask people to serve as character witnesses on your behalf._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Child Social Services_

_ Of the State of Maine_

Emma read the letter a few times, making sure she understood everything. She had wished her court date would be a little sooner than another month and a half. She missed Henry desperately and worried about him constantly. Still, Emma hated to admit it, but in some ways it was better this way. It would give her family more time to find jobs and a three bedroom apartment. David and Mary Margaret would be legally married by then, so they wouldn't have to worry about those complications. Plus, Emma hadn't thought of it until now, but maybe she should consider hiring a lawyer. One of the benefits of being outside of Storybrooke was she had more options than just Mr. Gold.

"What are you looking at Emma?" Mary Margaret asked, who had returned from the hospital about an hour ago.

"It's the letter about Henry's custody hearing. It will decide whether Henry can live with us again," Emma replied.

Mary Mar – _Snow_'s eyes widened. "Can I see it? When will it be?" David and Ruby, who had also returned from paying her cell phone bill, also came over, interested in Emma's response.

"Not until the end of September," Emma grumbled. "It's a long time to wait, especially considering I'm so worried about Henry. But I guess it could be a good thing. It gives us more time to do everything we need to do." Emma sighed.

Snow smiled. "I'm proud of you for realizing that, Emma." Then she picked up the letter and skimmed it. "I'll have to talk to my boss at the hospital; see if I can get out earlier that day," she commented, obviously noticing the time of the hearing.

Emma shrugged. She hadn't thought of that. The time of the hearing ran over Snow's work time. "Don't worry about it," Emma told her. "Your job is important; it helps us pay bills and buy the things we need."

But Snow, David and Ruby all shook their heads at once. "I'm going to the hearing, Emma," Snow said firmly. "I'll figure something out with my job. I promise. The job does pay bills and everything, but nothing is more important than my family. I need to support you; I need to make sure Henry is allowed to live with us again. The letter says you can have "character witnesses" to help you. I could do that."

"That goes for me, too, Emma," David added. "No matter what job I may have in the future, I'll go to the hearing anyway. I need to be there for you. And I can serve as a character witness, too."

Ruby smiled, "I'll be there at the hearing, too. It doesn't conflict with my job anyway, but I want to be there to help. Henry belongs with this family; anyone can see that. I'd be happy to tell that to anyone who needs to hear it."

Emma nodded, not sure what to say. She should have known her family would be there for her for the hearing, even if it conflicted with jobs. After all no job she might get could prevent Emma from being at the hearing. And if there was one thing Emma was learning this family was good at, it was loyalty. Of course they wanted to be there to support her and make sure Henry was returned to their family. It was just...sometimes she supposed it was still hard to believe people would put her first, she supposed. Out loud she replied, "Thanks," to the group, smiling.

They smiled back. Snow looked at the letter again. "What is a lawyer? Should you see about getting one?"

Emma shrugged. "I hadn't thought about it, but it's probably a good idea. Although I don't know how we'd pay for a lawyer right now… But I have to do _everything _I can to get Henry back with us and away from that foster home!

"We'll figure something out," Snow told her. "Like I said before, maybe we can ask Granny and the dwarves to pool their money with ours." Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Let me look up it in the phone book. I'll see if I can find someone who specialized in child custody cases," Emma commented as she began thumbing through. Eventually she found a Wendell Underwood who looked promising. He worked in a small law firm, so the fees if they won wouldn't be that high. But the man advertised to be a child custody specialist. Emma called him up and he agreed to meet her next Tuesday at 2:30PM.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Friday afternoon, Emma returned to the Hampden Police Department for another interview. She was ecstatic that they called her again. She was well on her way to getting another job in law enforcement and even more importantly, to getting Henry back.

"Hello, Miss Swan," the police chief greeted her again as she entered the office.

"Hello, sir," Emma answered confidently, looking him straight in the eye. She was the best person for this job, and she would do whatever it took to prove it.

"Well, you did well on the questions the other day and you passed the polygraph," the police chief said to her. "So today I'd like to focus on the physical aspects of this job." He handed her a gun, almost identical to the one she carried in Storybrooke. "You said you could handle a weapon before, right?"

"That's right," Emma replied confidently. If it was one thing Emma knew she was good at, it was shooting a gun.

"So prove it to me," the man told her, leading Emma to the target practice room in the back of the police department.

"Of course," she replied. She picked up a pair of headphones and placed them over her ears at the same time as he did. Then Emma pointed the weapon at the target and hit the bull's eye. She pointed again and again. Emma hit the bull's eye every single time. After about six shots, the police chief tapped her shoulder. "That's enough," he commented looking at her in awe. Emma smiled back. She knew she could shoot as well, if not better, than the men employed here.

The police chief took off his headphones and Emma did as well. "Okay, you've proven you're able to handle a weapon. But while we're discussing guns, I'd like to ask you another question. When do you think is an acceptable time to fire a weapon?"

Emma looked him in the eye and replied, "When someone is threatening me, another officer, or a civilian with a weapon themselves. If the person is a minor, I'd be a lot more hesitant to use the gun on them than an adult. I'd really try to talk them out of it. But as a last resort…you've got to protect the innocent people and the other cops."

The police chief nodded. "Okay, I just wanted to make sure your aim wasn't that good because you used your gun too quickly in the past."

"One more thing. Tom!" he called from around the corner. A well – built man with dark hair wearing a police uniform appeared in a couple of minutes. "Yes, Chief Winslow?"

"I want you to practice holds with this woman," he told the other man, pointing to Emma. "She's applying for the open police officer's job. See if she can get you into these cuffs while you're making a struggle." He pulled a pair of handcuffs out of his pocket.

The man, whose nametag red "Officer McKendric", scoffed. "Whatever," he muttered. He proceeded to make a show of making a struggle as Emma put the handcuffs on him.

But Emma knew he hadn't really tried. Drunken bail jumpers that she found half asleep put up more of a fight than this man did. Emma had a feeling he was "going easy on her" because she was a woman. She shoved the man on the ground. "Listen, I may be a woman, but I _can_ put a man in a pair of handcuffs when he's making a struggle! I used to be a bounty hunter. Let me tell you, bail jumpers can put up quite a big fight. Let's try again for real, shall we?"

The man took a deep breath and nodded. This time the man fought her for real. He squeezed her arm but Emma twisted out of his grasp. She kicked him in the back of the leg and he stumbled but didn't fall. Instead he grabbed both of her arms and held her so she couldn't twist out this time. Emma bit him on the shoulder _hard_, and his arms relaxed. Then she twisted out. Then she grabbed his arm and pulled it to his back. He tried to kick her, but she stepped out of the way in time. Instead she kicked the same leg she had kicked before a lot harder. The officer fell onto his stomach with an "ooofff!" Emma grabbed his other hand and fastened the handcuffs around him.

From the back ground the police chief nodded. "I think that's enough."

"Definitely. I wouldn't want to be fighting against this woman for anything," Officer McKendric agreed. "I'd love to have her on our team, though."

Emma looked at Officer McKendric and the police chief hopefully. The police chief nodded. "Okay, I'm prepared to offer you the position, Miss Swan."

Emma's eyes lit up. It was happening! She had a job she enjoyed and she could provide for Henry! "Thank you so much, sir."

"Hold on a second," the man cautioned as he led Emma back to his office. "Thanks for the help, Tom," he added to the other man as he unfastened the handcuffs. "You're free to go." Officer Tom McKendric disappeared from the building.

"There are some conditions," he told Emma as he sat back down at his desk. Emma nodded. She should've known getting what she wanted couldn't be that easy.

"I know you have quite a bit of experience in law enforcement already, but I still need you to take some courses in criminal justice. You can take them at the University at Orono; it's right next to Bangor."

Emma sighed. She knew this was too good to be true. She couldn't afford college courses. She started to shake her head.

"I can set you up with a loan from a bank on my recommendation," he continued, anticipating her problem. "You'd be eligible for in – state tuition because you've lived in Maine for a couple of years. Here's the name of the bank." He wrote down "Key bank" on a piece of paper and handed it to her. "Here's the list of the course s I'd like you to take." The police chief handed her another list that included: _Constitutional Law, Illegal drugs – habits and problems, Corrections, and Profiling – a tool or discrimination? _"Some of them won't be available until next semester, so you'll have to take them then. Sign up for two of classes this semester. You'll work here thirty - five hours a week instead of forty because you'll be starting school soon. Because of that, you'll get a $19,000 a year salary instead of a $20,000 salary. Is that acceptable?"

Emma nodded. Attending school while she was working might be difficult, but it would be doable. At least she now had a job. "Yes, sir," she replied, smiling. Then suddenly, she thought of something. "I won't be available on Saturday afternoons for the next two months; my son visits me on those days. And on next Wednesday, on September 13 and the 27,I will need the afternoons off as well because of my custody problem with my son. Is that acceptable?" After all, her parents' marriage technically concerned Henry's custody as well.

The thought for a minute and wrote something down. "Yes, that will be okay."

"Thank you, Sir," Emma replied, gratefully.

For the first time since she met the police chief, he gave her a wide grin. "It's Chief Winslow, Officer Swan." Emma nodded again. She liked the sound of that. It sounded almost as good as Sheriff Swan. "Come in on Monday, and I'll issue you a uniform, a weapon and a squad car. You can also fill out the necessary paperwork."

Emma smiled widely. "Of course." As Emma walked out the door, she couldn't wait to tell the rest of her family her wonderful news!

XXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Henry had done his best to stay positive since he had returned to the Collard's on Saturday evening. His mom had given him some nice detective novels, which were a lot more entertaining than watching TV all day. Grandma had a job, so his family would be able to find a bigger apartment soon. That meant Henry would be living with his family again shortly. In the meantime, Henry tried not to let Tim and Evan's fighting or teasing bother him. He still worried about his family, but it looked like Grandma, Grandpa, and Red were adjusting to this world okay. He was still worried about how Mom was dealing with him being in foster care, but at least she had the rest of the family to support her through it, right?

But Tuesday night, Henry dreamed happy memories of Mom Regina. Memories he hadn't thought of in years. The time when Henry was convinced there was a monster under his bed and refused to get up. Mom Regina crawled under his bed and "killed" the monster for him. The time when he made a plaster handprint for her for Mother's Day and her eyes actually welled up in gratitude. The time when he convinced her he should ride the school bus to school, because that's what all the other kids did. Even though she had wanted to drive him, she finally allowed Henry to do what he wanted, saying "I want you to be happy, Henry."

He woke up in the middle of that night, tears filling his eyes. Henry had tried so hard to be strong since Mom Regina died, especially since he knew he'd have to leave his family. It was his purpose to fight this lady using her rules, and he could only do that if he was strong like the rest of his family, right? But after being bombarded with so many happy memories of his dead mother…Henry couldn't take it anymore. He just…missed her, especially after he remembered the way things used to be between them. He spent most of the rest the night silently crying, soaking his pillow with tears.

The next morning Henry wiped the tears from his eyes several times and splashed water all over his face. He didn't want anyone to know he had been crying the night before. Then he headed to the kitchen for breakfast. He was pretty sure they were all having toast today, so he didn't have to worry about Tim and Evan fighting over the last candy bar.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Fortunately, no one seemed to notice Henry had spent the night before crying. Of course, it helped that Henry usually kept to himself, reading his detective novels. Still, maybe it was a good thing that people weren't very observant in this household.

That night, Henry dreamed of the happiest days of his life. It was the day when Grandma and Mom Emma had returned from the Enchanted Forest. For a couple of horrible moments, Henry had actually thought Mom Regina and Mr. Gold had killed them before they came through the portal. Then suddenly, a hand appeared on the well…and Mom Emma pulled herself out! Grandma quickly followed. What made it even better was that Mom Regina had actually saved them! Grandma was also able to wake Grandpa from the sleeping curse (of course). That day…his _whole family_ had actually worked together. It had given him hope that things would be okay in the future. The next day, at the welcome back party, Mom Emma even allowed Mom Regina to come. He'd never forget the elation he felt on those days, of having his whole family celebrating together.

But when he woke up, tears filled his eyes again. This was even worse than the night before. His _whole family_ would never be together like that again, no matter how much he wished for it. There would be no other occasion for them to work together, celebrate, or even just say "hi." Mom Regina was dead and there was nothing Henry could do about it. At it would be a while before he could even see the rest of his family, much less celebrate with them. He was stuck here, in a home where no one cared about him. This time Henry's cries weren't silent. Despite himself, he whimpered, gulped and sniffed as the tears continued to come.

Just then a loud car honked outside the window of the bedroom. Tim and Evan grumbled as they woke up to the noise. But before they fell asleep again, they heard Henry's sniffs and whimpers. "Is he actually _crying_?" Tim asked in disbelief.

"I think he is," Evan replied, also sounding shocked.

"I knew the kid was a freak, but I didn't know he was a wuss, too!" Tim explained. "What do you say we teach this wuss a lesson?" he asked as he climbed out of his cot.

"Sounds good," Evan replied climbing out his cot, too.

Henry tried to stop crying and wipe his eyes. He didn't know what these boys were planning, but it didn't sound good. But it was too late. The boys had already come over to the cot he slept on. Evan grabbed Henry's arms and Tim climbed onto his legs. For the next hour, Tim punched Henry's face and chest. "This is what it means to be a wuss, got it, wuss?" the two boys said as they continued to beat him.

The next morning, Tim and Evan got up like nothing happened. At least they didn't seem to have broken anything, Henry thought to himself. Although he did have multiple bruises on his chest and face. He

sighed as he got dressed. The bruises weren't that big though, so he'd probably be okay. They sure did hurt, though, Henry thought as he pulled his green shirt over his head.

As Henry ate his breakfast, no one mentioned his bruises or asked about them, not even Ronald or Bobby. Henry knew the parents in this foster home didn't really care about him or the other boys. They had already made it perfectly clear. But to be so obviously injured…and no one even asked about it? Henry remembered a time when he was younger and he fell, climbing on the monkey bars. It was just a few scrapes, and his teacher had put Band – Aids on them. But when he arrived home, Mom Regina had _asked_ about them. She wanted to know where he got the scrapes. Of course, when he told her the monkey bars, it had started her belief that the playground was "unsafe", but still. At least she had cared that Henry was hurt! No one cared here. Not even the younger boys, who seemed pretty nice last week.

As Henry finished he breakfast, he didn't know how to take this anymore. _This_ was foster care? No wonder Mom Emma didn't want him to go into it. He was separated from his family, he was living with people who didn't care about him at all, and the boys his age teased him and beat on him. Maybe Mom Emma had been right. It would have been better to run away and hide in the woods.

He began looking through his detective books again, hoping to take his mind of his problems. Suddenly as he picked up his copy of _The Tower Treasure_, a piece of paper fell out. It had been carefully folded, so it would be easy to miss. What was it? Something the previous owner had forgotten about? Mom had mentioned she got these books at a yard sale.

But as Henry unfolded it, he realized it was addressed to him.

_Dear Henry,_

_I know living in that foster home must be really tough, and I want you to know how proud I am of you for doing it anyway. You and your grandparents were right. Running away never solves anything. But I'm going to find a way for you to live with us again. We've already started the process, since your grandma has a job. Just remember, no matter how tough things get, _you have a family that loves you._ We'd do anything to make you happy, Henry._

_ Love,_

_ Mom_

Henry read the letter over and over again, as hope for getting through this filled him again. His mom was right. Running never solved anything. Besides that, he did have a family that loves him. A family that he could only live with permanently if he didn't run from the foster home. And that knowledge could get him through this awful place. He clutched the letter to his chest tightly. He needed to keep this in a safe place, so he could look at it whenever he needed to and it wouldn't get destroyed. The letter gave him hope when he had none, just like he fairytale book had done. It was now his most important possession. After thinking for a second, he placed it inside his shoe.

As Henry's day continued, his mind kept going back to his mom. This was a woman who had been raised in foster care. She had _sixteen years_ of parents that didn't care about her and other foster children that taunted, teased, and hurt her. And she still came out of it a nice person who loved him and wanted to be the best mother she could be. She was even capable of helping others, Henry thought to himself, thinking of all the times she helped people as Storybrooke's Sheriff. Henry knew Mom Emma was a hero, just like the rest his family. But he had always thought that was because she was the Savior. And because she had tried to help Mom Regina slow the failsafe down when Storybrooke blew up. Henry never thought the most important reason she was a hero was because she had survived the foster system and was still a good person. But he definitely believed that now. And if Mom Emma could survive it for sixteen years, he could definitely survive it for a few months. He could become a hero, just like her.

OOOOOOOOOO

Henry woke up on Saturday, looking forward to his visit to his family. But as he put his blue shirt on, he noticed the bruises on his face were still quite visible. Mom had written that she understood running wasn't a good idea. But if she knew Henry had been hurt…would she still believe that? Remembering how close Mom had been to punching the lady who took him away, Henry wasn't sure she would. Quickly making a decision, Henry quietly tip toed into the Collard's bedroom and found some cover – up. Carefully, he dabbed some on the bruises all over his face. There. The bruises on his chest were unnoticeable as long as he kept his shirt on. Too bad they still hurt a little.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

The woman who took him away arrived at 11:00. It was an hour after she had arrived the week before but he supposed he didn't need to take the blood test this time. Of course, when she arrived, Mr. Collard was playfully tickling Ronald and Bobby (he never even _touched_ the boys during the week), and Mrs. Collard was examining Henry's detective books. "These are wonderful books, Henry," she told him, sounding sincere. "I'm so glad you enjoy reading," she smiled at him. Inwardly, Henry thought _If you really were glad I enjoyed reading, you'd buy me some books, too. But it's TV all the time, here._ But outwardly, Henry smiled at her. If Mom Emma could be nice to people after surviving foster care, he could, too.

As Miss Jordan, got him into her car, she exclaimed, "We have a surprise for you today, Henry. We're meeting at the Wal – Mart instead of your family's apartment. You are all going to go shopping!"

Henry nodded, trying to figure out why that was something to get excited about. They had already been shopping at Wal – Mart a couple of weeks ago. And Mom Emma had bought him more clothes last week, too. Why would his family want to go shopping again when they could spend time together at the apartment?

XXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOOOO

The Charming family had some sandwiches before they left, since the social work woman made it clear she would buy a small lunch for Henry on the road. Then they quickly rode the city bus to the Wal – Mart and waited by the door for Henry to arrive.

Although Snow was shocked to hear that she wasn't legally married to her Charming in this world, she had warmed up to the idea of having another ceremony. It would be a chance for Emma and Henry to see them marry as well as the rest of their surrogate family. They were even planning on including Henry _in _the ceremony. According to Emma, that would mean a lot to the boy. Snow was more than happy to do something to make him blissful again, since the boy was forced to live away from his family for now.

Snow was thinking on including Emma in the ceremony as well. Their "marriage license" indicated they needed two witnesses, correct? So who better to be the second witness than their daughter, and the mother of her grandson? But Emma hadn't expressed any interest in being a witness; even though she made it clear she'd like Henry to be one of the witnesses. Maybe the idea made Emma too uncomfortable? Besides, a part of Snow wondered if she should ask Red to be a witness, instead. After all Red was like a sister to her. Furthermore, Red had helped her find Charming more times than she could count. There would be no way they would have been married _one _time, let alone three times, without her help. Snow sighed. It wasn't a decision she'd have to make now. They would both be attending the wedding, so they would need dresses, right?

As Snow continued to mull things over Charming came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "You okay?" he asked her quietly. "I know it bothers you that were not married in this world; it bothers me, too. But we're going to fix that, right?"

Snow shook her head. "No, it's not that. I'm actually looking forward to marrying you again." She stroked his cheek and he gave her his special smile. "I was just thinking…were supposed to have two witnesses. Henry will be one but who will the other be…" Her gaze drifted to Emma and Red, who were talking amongst themselves.

Charming nodded in understanding. "We don't have to decide that today. Let's just concentrate on finding some things to wear to the wedding."

Just then, a car drove in to the yard and Henry and the social worker lady stepped out. Henry made a beeline for Emma. "Hi Mom!" he exclaimed as he gave her a great big hug. Then he whispered something in her ear and Emma smiled back. After he and Emma hugged again, he turned to the rest of the group. "So why are we here today?" Henry asked confused. "Didn't we buy clothes already?"

"Well," Emma replied, "Actually, we're going to need clothes for a special occasion." She smiled at Snow and Charming, encouraging them to tell Henry the rest.

"We're getting married," they both said at the same time, sounding excited about the idea. No matter how many times they ended up getting married, they always ended up enjoying the ceremonies…or the majority of them anyway.

Henry looked confused for a minute. "But…" he began. He was probably wondering why they were getting married when he knew his grandparents already _were_ married. Then, he seemed to realize why. They weren't married in this world. "That's great!" he replied brightly. Snow was beginning to realize her grandson was very smart and extremely good at reading between the lines. She'd have to remember that.

"We'll be getting married in a few weeks," Snow continued, explaining the details to him. "On Friday, the 13th, at 4: 30. We've already been given permission for you to come, even though it's not your normal visiting day."

Henry nodded happily at that. "Really?" he asked the social worker woman, afraid to hope. The woman nodded.

"But that's not all," Charming continued, kneeling down slightly to talk to him eye – to – eye. "We want you to be a part of the wedding, Henry. We want you to be one of our witnesses. Would you like that?

Henry's eyes lit up and his mouth fell open. "Really?" he asked when he finally spoke again. "You'd really want _me_ to stand up with you?" Henry sounded way past blissful, like he couldn't believe this was real.

"Of course," they both replied, nodding. Henry ran to both his grandparents and gave them a big bear hug. Emma had been right; being a witness for their wedding meant everything to Henry.

Snow, Emma, and Red looked at many different dresses. Red was, of course, searching for something…well, red. "How about this one?" Emma asked Red, holding up a plain dark pink dress.

Red shrugged. "Well, it's not really _red_. I'm looking for something red."

"You could wear that one yourself, Emma," Snow suggested, holding the pink dress in front of her daughter.

Emma made a face and shook her head. "Too much pink. If I have to wear a dress, it's going to be in a more neutral color." Snow nodded. Her daughter didn't seem to be that interested in dressing up. Snow wondered if Emma would've had a different attitude if she had grown up in the Enchanted Forest as princess, or if it was just Emma being Emma. She shrugged. It really didn't matter. This was who Emma was now; a person who didn't care for dressing up. She'd have to remember that.

"Maybe something more like this, then?" Snow held out a simple black skirt that went down to the knee. "You could wear a simple blouse with it."

Emma picked up the skirt and inspected it. "This wouldn't be too bad." She nodded.

"I think that would look very nice on you, Emma" Charming agreed.

"I think it looks alright, Mom," Henry added looking up at the skirt as well.

"Okay," Emma agreed, putting in their cart.

Snow inspected several dresses herself, but nothing seemed to fit. She didn't want anything too fancy; after all she'd already had a formal wedding. But at the same time, Snow was a person who had grown up believing _celebrations _meant dressing up. And no matter how many times she married her husband, it was always a celebration. "This one has too much lace," she commented, holding up sky blue dress that had lace all over the sleeves, waist, and collar. "This wasn't what I had in mind," she continued, looking at a plain purple dress that was far too short in her opinion. "This is too much black," she shook her head, pulling out a silk black dress. Snow was always more comfortable in white or colored dresses than black.

Emma shrugged. "We don't have to buy everything here, you know. There's a Goodwill store in this city, too. Maybe we'll find something there."

Snow nodded, relieved. "Okay. Let's take a look at the men's clothes now." Maybe Charming and Henry would have better luck than she did.

Charming found a suit in a nice dark blue. Snow thought it looked wonderful; she always loved the way blue brought out his eyes. Henry tried to find a suit that looked similar. Snow realized that even though Henry didn't seem to be any more interested in dressing up than Emma, he looked up to his grandpa and wanted to be just like him.

"How about this one, Henry?" Emma asked, showing him a black suit made for a young man Henry's size.

Henry shook his head. "I wanted one like Gr –" he paused, obviously remembering the social worker woman was still with them. "Like…David's," Henry finished.

Emma smiled. "That's okay; maybe we can find something at Goodwill for you too," she told him as she patted his shoulder. Was it Snow's imagination, or Henry make a wince of pain as Emma did that? But a second later, the look was gone, so she decided it must have been her imagination. After all, Emma hadn't noticed anything wrong.

"Let's order some wedding bands," Emma said, taking charge of their situation again. Snow was able to get a measurement for her ring quickly, since the lady simply measured her existing wedding ring. Charming, however, had to have his finger measured. Snow found she loved the idea of Charming wearing a ring as well. It showed their marriage was a partnership; that they were equals that did everything together, like they always had. From the look on Charming's face as he tried on the different rings, he loved the idea as well. It was one more reason why having another wedding was a wonderful idea.

After ordering rings for both Snow and Charming (they would be told when their rings arrived on their communication devices), the group headed off to the Goodwill. The social worker woman volunteered to take them all in her car. Although they were all uncomfortable with getting in a car that belonged to the woman who had taken Henry away, the group finally agreed. After all Henry would have to ride with her anyway, so this way, their family could ride together. It was a bit of a tight squeeze for five adults to ride in this "car", but they managed.

As the woman drove, Emma told her the news had been looking for an opportunity to share. She finally had a steady job, at the Hampden Police Department. The woman seemed somewhat impressed; although she was quite disappointed Emma had still failed to take her blood test. "I'll take it as soon as I can, after I get my first paycheck, okay?" Emma told her, firmly. "I would have taken it this week, but I didn't expect it to be so expensive."

The woman sighed as she continued driving. "Some of the things you will need to provide for your son will be expensive, Miss Swan. You have to be willing to accept that if you want to take care of him."

"I am willing to accept that!" Emma exclaimed, almost screaming at the woman. "I just need to get the money to take care of it. I will have the money as soon as I get my first paycheck at the Police Department."

The woman apparently had nothing to say to that. Snow was glad for that, because she would have screamed at her as well. Emma was doing everything the woman asked her to do, and the woman still had complaints? What was wrong with her and with this world?

Henry, obviously wanting to defuse the situation, chose this moment to say, "I'm so glad you got the job at the police department, Mom! That's the job you really wanted! I knew you could do it!"

Snow could hear Emma's smile in her voice from the back of the car. "Thanks, Henry. I'm happy about it, too."

They reached the Goodwill and Red was able to find what she was looking for right away: a red dress.

Snow looked for a while, trying to find just the right dress: not too fancy and not too plain. Definitely nothing in black, she added to herself as she found another black dress among the clothes in her size. "What about this one?" Emma asked showing Snow a bright green dress with sparkles all over it. "It's definitely not something I'd wear, but you might like it."

Snow shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe." She kept looking. Maybe she shouldn't be so picky. What did it really matter what she wore, as long as she married Charming, again?

"Excuse me?" the social worker said from behind. "What about this one?" She held up a royal blue dress that had a rather low neckline and fell to the knee. Snow first instinct was to say "no" to anything this woman suggested. This was the woman who had taken Henry away from their family and was still giving Emma a hard time about the stupid blood test. Why should she listen to her at all? But still…a blue…it was similar to the color on Charming's suit. So she picked it up and inspected it. It was actually…exactly what she was looking for.

"That would look great on you, Mary Margaret," he daughter told her, nodding as Snow held the dress against her.

"I think you'd look gorgeous in it," Charming told her, his eyes showing the truth in his words.

"And it matches Gr – David's" suit!" added Henry, excited. "Now we just need to find something in that color for me."

They were able to find a suit for Henry in blue. It wasn't quite the shade of blue that he wanted; it was more of a navy blue, but Henry was satisfied, so that was what mattered. They also all bought some black dress shoes at the Goodwill for the occasion. Then, unfortunately it was time for Henry to go.

"Goodbye Henry," they all told him, giving him a hug. "We'll see you next week."

"Thanks for letting me be a witness," Henry told them as he hugged his grandparents.

"No problem," they replied.

Emma hugged her son one more time, and then Henry got in the woman's car and drove away again.

They all sighed and picked up their purchases to wait for their bus.

**What did you think of that? I appreciate those of you who have followed or favorite this story, but I'd really love some more reviews as well. Pretty please?**

**Also, I will be switching to an every other Sunday posting schedule after today. I'm starting a new project (which has nothing to do with Once or fanfiction, for the record), and it needs to be my top priority. Look for chapter nine on March 16. Of course, after next week, we'll have the show back on Sundays, so that should help, huh?**


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